South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol held the South Korea-Africa Summit and the Korea-Pacific Islands Summit to strengthen economic cooperation with these regions. The Indo-Pacific Strategy to strengthen solidarity with Indo-Pacific countries was also announced in the first year of his administration. [1]
In 2023, when he visited Ukraine after the NATO Summit, the Framework Agreement on the External Economic Development Cooperation Fund was signed between the two countries. Additionally, an additional financial support package of $150 million was also announced. [2]
Cho Tae-yeol, who was nominated as Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2023, has worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1979, serving as Ambassador to the United Nations, Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ambassador to Spain.
In March 2023, Yoon called tensions between China and Taiwan a global problem and described the recent heightened tensions as "attempts to change the status quo by force." In response, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong expressed his displeasure by telling the South Korean ambassador to make “solemn representation” China also expressed “strong dissatisfaction” with Yoon's remarks, calling them “totally unacceptable.” [3]
Before his state visit to the UK in November 2023, President Yoon pointed out the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and rules-based maritime order in the South China Sea. [4]
In March 2024, President Yoon said that South Korea and Japan are partners pursuing world peace and prosperity moving toward a new future. [5]
At a bilateral meeting held at the 2023 G20 New Delhi summit in September 2023, Yoon and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed that the two countries would strengthen defense and space cooperation to strengthen strategic relations in the Indo-Pacific region. [6]
In December 2023, Yoon said on X that he hopes to further strengthen the special strategic partnership with India on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with India, and that he looks forward to working with Prime Minister Modi. [7]
In November 2022, Yoon held a summit with Philippine President Bongbong Marcos and the two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in areas such as nuclear energy, infrastructure, and national defense. Yoon asked Marcos to provide support for South Korean companies to participate in various infrastructure projects being planned in the Philippines. [8]
In September 2023, the South Korea-Philippines Free Trade Agreement was signed in Jakarta, Indonesia. As a result, the 5% tariff imposed on South Korean automobiles will be abolished as soon as the FTA takes effect, and the up to 30% tariff imposed on automobile parts will be abolished within 5 years. [9]
From July 10 to 16, 2024, Yoon visited Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. It was part of diplomatic efforts to strengthen economic ties with resource-rich countries amid uncertainty in global supply chains. Yoon introduced the K-Silk Road initiative, which focuses on creating a new cooperation model by linking South Korea's innovative capabilities with Central Asia's abundant resources and development potential. [10]
In November 2023, Yoon had breakfast and had a summit meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace. The two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation on advanced technology and climate change issues. Strengthening cooperation in the development of new and renewable energy, including future high-tech industries, climate change, coal phase-out, and energy transition, was heavily discussed. [11]
In November 2023, Yoon made a state visit to the United Kingdom to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and the UK. In his speech to both houses of Parliament, Yoon emphasized the importance of comprehensive relations between the two countries. He said both countries face geopolitical risks, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict. [12]
"Together, we will build a free and open international order. Together, we will cultivate sustainable growth and prosperity for all of humanity."
— Yoon Suk Yeol
In September 2023, Yoon mentioned strengthening green growth cooperation between the two countries during a meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Frederiksen called for expanded cooperation to include areas such as offshore wind, eco-friendly shipping, sustainable agriculture, and even quantum technologies. [13]
In 2023, when Yoon visited Ukraine after the 2023 NATO Summit, the Framework Agreement on the External Economic Development Cooperation Fund was signed between the two countries. Additionally, an additional financial support package of $150 million was also announced. [14]
In July 2024, at the 2024 NATO Summit, South Korea announced plans to double its NATO trust fund contribution to Ukraine to $24 million in 2025. [15]
The Yoon administration expanded the Korea-United States alliance to technology and supply chain cooperation as strategic competition between the US and China intensified. Yoon visited the United States four times in 2023, including a state visit to the United States in April 2023, the US-South Korea-Japan summit at Camp David in August 2023, the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September, and the APEC Summit in San Francisco in November. [16]
In April 2023, Yoon visited the Goddard Space Flight Center with U.S. Vice President, Kamala Harris, and agreed to work to strengthen the space alliance between South Korea and the United States. “We renew our commitment to strengthen our cooperation in the next frontier of our expanding alliance, and of course that is space,” Harris said at a joint news conference with Yoon. [17]
In May 2023, Yoon showed his will to strengthen cooperation with Canada, saying that there is great potential for economic cooperation between South Korea and Canada in the fields of clean energy and future industries including semiconductors, batteries, and artificial intelligence. [18]
In 2023, the two countries began their inaugural high-level economic security dialogue. [19]
Yoon said at the Korea-Africa Business Summit that South Korea will build important mineral partnerships with major African countries to develop the continent's resources in a mutually beneficial way. In addition, the Korea-Africa Summit promoted Korea-Africa relations by adopting a joint declaration on economic cooperation and agreeing to start a ministerial-level mineral dialogue. [20]
"We [South Korea and Africa] hope to expand mutually beneficial resource cooperation by establishing the Critical Minerals Partnership with major African countries."
— President Yoon’s keynote speech at the Korea-Africa Business Summit
Yoon has been attending North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit meetings since his inauguration. South Korea is one of NATO global partners. [21] The NATO summits that President Yoon attended are as follows:
Year | Country | Host leader |
---|---|---|
2022 | Spain | Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez |
2023 | Lithuania | President Gitanas Nausėda |
2024 | United States | President of the United States Joe Biden |
Diplomatic relations between South Korea and the United States commenced in 1949. The United States helped establish the modern state of South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, and fought on its UN-sponsored side in the Korean War (1950–1953). During the subsequent decades, South Korea experienced tremendous economic, political and military growth.
Fumio Kishida is a Japanese politician who has served as Prime Minister of Japan and as President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) since 2021. A member of the House of Representatives, he previously served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2012 to 2017 and as acting Minister of Defense in 2017. From 2017 to 2020, he also chaired the LDP Policy Research Council.
South Korea–Ukraine relations are foreign relations between South Korea and Ukraine. Diplomatic Relations were established on February 10, 1992. South Korea has an embassy in Kyiv. Ukraine has an embassy in Seoul.
The China–Japan–South Korea trilateral summit is an annual summit meeting attended by the People's Republic of China, Japan and South Korea, three major countries in East Asia and the world's second, fourth and 12th largest economies. The first summit was held during December 2008 in Fukuoka, Japan. The talks are focused on maintaining strong trilateral relations, the regional economy and disaster relief.
Cambodia–South Korea relations are foreign relations between Cambodia and South Korea. South Korea has an embassy in Phnom Penh and Cambodia has an embassy in Seoul.
The European Union (EU) and South Korea are important trade partners: As of April 2023, Korea is the EU's third-largest importer. Excluding European countries, Korea has secured the third place on the list, following China and the United States. And the EU is Korea's third largest export destination. The two have signed a free trade agreement which came into effect at end of 2011. Furthermore, South Korea is the only country in the world with the three agreements covering economics, politics and security in effect as of 2020.
Yoon Suk Yeol is a South Korean politician and attorney who is the 13th and current president of South Korea since 2022. A member of the People Power Party, he previously served as the prosecutor general of South Korea from 2019 to 2021 under his presidential predecessor Moon Jae-In.
Presidential elections were held in South Korea on 9 March 2022. Under the South Korean constitution, presidents are restricted to a single five-year term, meaning that incumbent president Moon Jae-in was ineligible to run for a second term. Opposition candidate Yoon Suk Yeol of the People Power Party won the election, defeating candidate Lee Jae-myung of the incumbent Democratic Party.
Kim Keon-hee is a South Korean businesswoman, who has been the First Lady of South Korea since 10 May 2022 as the wife of President Yoon Suk Yeol. She is the chief executive officer and president of the art exhibition company, Covana Contents.
Legislative elections were held in South Korea on 10 April 2024. All 300 members of the National Assembly were elected, 254 from first-past-the-post constituencies and 46 from proportional party lists. The two largest parties, the liberal Democratic Party and the conservative People Power Party, once again set up satellite parties to take advantage of the electoral system.
The Korea–Pacific Islands Summit was a meeting hosted by President of South Korea Yoon Suk-yeol with leaders of Pacific Islands Forum members held during May 29–30, 2023 in Seoul, South Korea. the summit was brought forth after 5 meetings of the participants the last of in 2022 when the involved parties agreed to elevate relations to summit status.
The American–Japanese–Korean trilateral pact (JAROKUS) or Camp David Principles is a security pact between Japan, South Korea, and the United States which was announced on August 18, 2023, at Camp David in the United States. The pact commits the three countries to a set of agreements and is one of the U.S.-led international security alliances, including Quad Plus and AUKUS.
The following lists events in the year 2024 in South Korea.
On July 25, 2023, President Yoon Suk Yeol visited Ukraine after visiting Lithuania and Poland for the NATO summit. He visited Bucha and Irpin, small cities near the capital city of Kyiv. He laid flowers on the monument.
South Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy is a comprehensive strategy that encompasses the economic and security spheres of Indo-Pacific countries. Announcing the strategy, South Korea said, "While strengthening the rules-based international order, which is conducive to a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific, we will work towards a regional order that enables a diverse set of nations to cooperate and prosper together."
The 2024 AI Seoul Summit was co-hosted by the South Korean and British governments. The Seoul Declaration was adopted to address artificial intelligence technology and related challenges and opportunities.
South Korea–United Arab Emirates relations are the diplomatic relations between South Korea and United Arab Emirates. Since establishing diplomatic ties in June of 1980, Korea and the UAE have continued cooperation in various fields, including energy, construction, defense, and culture. As of 2023, the UAE is Korea's 14th trading partner.
From May 28 to May 31, 2024, the President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) visited South Korea and China for the first time as UAE Head of State.
The 2024 South Korea–Africa Summit is the inaugural summit hosted by the government of South Korea with 48 African countries.