'Deepening North Korea-Russia military cooperation poses serious security threat'
Minister highlights South Korea's contributions to Strait of Hormuz security
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun attended the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, where Cho outlined the South Korean government's position on the demilitarized zone mine explosion and said dialogue and communication between the two Koreas are essential to easing tensions on the peninsula.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cho made the remarks at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Atlanta, United States, on Friday and Saturday (local time).
Cho said the deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia is having a serious impact on security on the Korean Peninsula and in the broader region. Cho called on G20 member states for their support and cooperation, saying South Korea will spare no effort to achieve peaceful coexistence and reduce tensions on the peninsula.
Cho also said international coordination is needed to ensure freedom of navigation and safety in the Strait of Hormuz and to address food security threats that directly affect people's livelihoods.
Cho said South Korea recently joined the EU-led pledge to uphold international maritime law, which opposes the unlawful restriction of passage through international straits, and added that the country will continue to make tangible contributions to ensuring free and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Cho said South Korea would serve as an energy hub connecting oil-producing and consuming nations — leveraging its refining capacity, storage infrastructure and maritime network — to help address the energy crisis stemming from the situation in the Middle East and the surge in AI demand.
On supply chains, Cho said the war in the Middle East has underscored the need to diversify supply chains and reduce dependence on specific regions or resources.
Cho introduced South Korea's efforts to strengthen supply chain resilience, including participation in the Forum for Geostrategic Resource Cooperation (FORGE), and said agreements on critical minerals reached at the G20 Energy Ministers' Meeting in September should be translated into concrete supply chain cooperation.
The government plans to strengthen coordination with member states to ensure the G20 summit in Miami in December is a success and that tangible outcomes continue through 2028, when South Korea assumes the G20 chairmanship.
On Friday (local time), Cho met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, urging North Korea to join efforts to reduce tensions and establish lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula amid the latest developments there.
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