SEOUL, September 17 (AJP) - South Korea's delayed announcement of its first investment project in the United States stems from domestic procedure rather than a dispute with Washington, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Thursday.
The project is the first under a $350 billion package Seoul pledged in a tariff and investment deal with Washington reached at an October 2025 summit.
"It is my understanding that this is not so much a disagreement between South Korea and the United States as an effort to firmly settle domestic procedural matters," Cho told reporters at Incheon International Airport before leaving for Washington.
Cho is visiting Washington from Sept. 17 to 19, the foreign ministry said, and will hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sept. 18.
The investment issue is likely to surface at that meeting. "It will come up in the course of reviewing the relationship between the two countries as a whole," Cho said.
"We will clearly explain to the U.S. side what we can do," he said. On any issue that runs against South Korea's national interest or differs from its position, Cho stressed, Seoul plans to "explain in great detail and maintain a clear position."
Cho also reiterated that the government has not decided whether to send forces to the Strait of Hormuz, as the United States requested. The narrow waterway between Iran and Oman is one of the world's main routes for oil shipments.
The matter "has not yet been decided and is under review, taking various factors into account," he said.
He said he would explain to U.S. officials that South Korea will "take part in international cooperation, while giving priority consideration to the safety of our citizens and to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."
Seoul has already conveyed that position to Tehran. Referring to his phone call last week with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Cho said, "We have already stated our basic position and have also told the Iranian side."
The joint fact sheet produced by two South Korea-U.S. summits covers follow-up cooperation that includes nuclear-powered submarines and nuclear energy. Cho said he intends to discuss pushing working-level talks "continuously and quickly" and carrying out the fact sheet "as soon as possible."
On dialogue between North Korea and the United States, Cho said, "If some breakthrough is made in North Korea-U.S. relations this time, that would be welcome for our government as well."
He added that if such talks take place, "the (South Korean) government will not be passed over, so it seems we should check on that as well."
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