Cho and Rubio Meet as South Korea Navigates Investment Delays and Middle East Role

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday, with the two allies working through delays to South Korean investment pledges in the United States and questions over Seoul's role in Middle East security.

The talks follow recent criticism from US President Donald Trump, who said South Korea had not done enough to support American efforts to pressure Iran. The two countries have also yet to finalise agreements covering $350 billion in South Korean investments promised under a trade deal reached last year.

South Korea's foreign ministry said Rubio and Cho were set to discuss the overall bilateral relationship, Korean Peninsula issues, and regional and global matters.

Speaking before leaving Seoul on Thursday, Cho said investment plans under the trade deal had been held up while procedural questions were clarified, without giving details.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who is due in the United States next week for the UN General Assembly, said on Friday that concerns over the commercial viability of the package had become a sticking point in negotiations, though the two sides were nearing an agreement. He said some elements were difficult for Seoul to accept, but the government would keep talking to ensure any deal protects South Korea's interests while benefiting both countries and the wider relationship.

South Korea committed last year to investing in US manufacturing in exchange for lowering tariffs on Korean imports to 15%. Lee said Seoul had insisted on including a reference to "commercially reasonable" investments in the agreement's text.

On Middle East security, Lee said he would not deploy military assets in a way that could draw the country into conflict, but Seoul was reviewing whether to take a greater role in safeguarding navigation in the region.

Lee also said a summit between Kim Jong Un and Trump could take place in the coming months, though it remained uncertain.