South Korea, US discuss Seoul’s role in Middle East and investment pact
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (left) and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun during a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara on July 7.
PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON – South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sept 18 as the long-time allies grappled with delayed South Korean investments in the US and Seoul’s role in Middle East security.
US President Donald Trump has criticised Seoul in recent weeks over what he described as a lack of South Korean support for US efforts to pressure Iran.
The two countries have also yet to finalise agreements governing US$350 billion (S$446.4 billion) in South Korean investments pledged under a trade deal reached in 2025.
Cho explained to Rubio Seoul’s willingness to make a substantive contribution to restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the ministry said in a statement without elaborating.
On Seoul’s investment commitments, Rubio stressed their swift execution, the US State Department said, while South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said Rubio and Cho agreed to keep communicating to ensure ongoing consultation plans “bear good fruit”.
Rubio and Cho also pledged ongoing collaboration across key strategic sectors, including semiconductors, the State Department said, while Rubio underscored the need for a fair and transparent business environment for US companies in South Korea.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who is due in the US next week for the UN General Assembly, said on Sept 18 that he would not deploy military assets to the Middle East in a way that could draw the country into a conflict.
But he said Seoul was reviewing whether to play a greater role in safeguarding navigation in the region.
Cho said before leaving Seoul on Sept 17 that investment plans under the trade deal had been delayed while procedural issues were clarified, without elaborating.
Lee told a news conference on Sept 18 that concerns over the commercial viability of the package had become a sticking point in negotiations, although the two sides were nearing an agreement.
He said some elements of the package were difficult for Seoul to accept, but the government would continue discussions to ensure any deal protected South Korea’s interests while benefiting both countries and the broader US-South Korea relationship.
Seoul committed in 2025 to invest in US manufacturing in return for lowering tariffs on imports from South Korea to 15 per cent.
Lee said Seoul had insisted on including a reference to “commercially reasonable” investments in the text of the agreement.
North Korea also featured in the talks, amid speculation over a possible summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Rubio and Cho reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearisation of North Korea, the State Department said, while Cho said Seoul would actively support the resumption of talks between Washington and Pyongyang, according to the ministry.
Lee said on Sept 18 that a summit meeting between Kim and Trump could take place in the coming months, but it remained uncertain. REUTERS