Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul at the Munich Security Conference. The meeting followed a productive phone call between the two officials on Secretary Rubio's second day in office.
During the meeting, Secretary Rubio emphasized his commitment to strong defense and economic ties with South Korea. He highlighted the importance of collaboration in sectors such as shipbuilding, semiconductors, and energy. In particular, he noted efforts to increase exports of American liquefied natural gas.
Both officials discussed advancing economic cooperation aligned with President Trump's agenda. This includes closer alignment on critical and emerging technologies and joint business initiatives. Concerns over China's actions in the South China Sea were shared, along with discussions on deterring aggression from North Korea.
Secretary Rubio reaffirmed America's commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea while expressing openness to dialogue under the Trump administration. He also expressed confidence in ROK Acting President Choi Sang-mok and praised the strength of the U.S.-ROK Alliance.