South Korea Pledges Role in Hormuz Passage, Affirms US Investment Push
South Korea reaffirmed its intent to help restore free passage through the Strait of Hormuz and agreed with the US to expedite investment commitments during talks in Washington.
South Korea has reiterated its readiness to contribute meaningfully to efforts to restore free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a key Middle East waterway, during talks between Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Friday. The South Korean foreign ministry disclosed the discussions on Saturday.
Cho's visit to the US capital this week included meetings with Rubio and members of Congress. Both sides committed to ensuring the prompt implementation of South Korea's investment pledges in the United States, according to the State Department and Seoul's foreign ministry.
The two allies have been negotiating the execution of a trade agreement reached last year, which provided for $350 billion in South Korean investments in US manufacturing in exchange for a reduction of tariffs on Korean imports to 15%.
On security matters, the two sides agreed to continue pursuing the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula through diplomatic means. Cho expressed support for talks between Washington and nuclear-armed North Korea.
Rubio and Cho also underscored the significance of trilateral cooperation involving the US, Japan and South Korea to uphold regional security, a State Department spokesperson said.