South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the second time in about six weeks. With various issues between the two countries, including the transfer of operational control, sharing of intelligence on North Korea, and the pace of resuming dialogue with North Korea, this meeting is expected to help narrow the differences in their positions.
According to political sources on the 28th, the Foreign Ministry is coordinating the schedule for the bilateral meeting with Secretary Rubio ahead of Minister Park's visit to the U.S. Park will attend the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Atlanta from the 29th to November 2. He stated during a National Assembly audit the day before that he plans to meet with Secretary Rubio. This will be the first meeting between the two since the South Korea-U.S. Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Washington, D.C., on September 18.
The agenda for this meeting is expected to cover a wide range of diplomatic and security issues, including cooperation on the transfer of operational control and the resumption of dialogue with North Korea.
The most pressing issue is the transfer of operational control. Minister Park noted during the audit that “negotiations have significantly narrowed the distance on all issues,” expressing confidence that “it will proceed in the direction our government desires.”
He added that “there is almost no difference in positions regarding the transfer of operational control between South Korea and the U.S.,” predicting that the U.S. will agree to the timeline proposed by the South Korean government. When asked whether this meant pushing for the transfer even at the cost of reducing or withdrawing U.S. troops, he clearly stated, “That is definitely not the case.”
Minister Park explained that he discussed the operational control issue in previous meetings with Secretary Rubio and with Elbridge Colby, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. He mentioned that he heard from the U.S. side that opinions regarding the timing and content of the transfer are being gathered during consultations between defense authorities.
Coordination on resuming dialogue with North Korea is also expected to be on the agenda. Minister Park revealed that about a month ago, he discussed the North Korea dialogue issue with Secretary Rubio, who conveyed that the U.S. wishes to maintain close communication while hoping that South Korea does not move too quickly. However, he clarified that this does not mean the U.S. opposes South Korea's diplomatic efforts as a self-appointed 'facilitator.'
The recent visit of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to Dandong, China, may also come up during the discussions. Minister Park indicated that there is a possibility that North Korea and China discussed the North Korea-U.S. dialogue during Kim's visit. He suggested that a summit between the North Korean and U.S. leaders could serve as a catalyst for resolving the current situation, stating that he plans to coordinate with not only the U.S. but also China and Russia.
Minister Park's visit to the U.S. is expected to focus more on narrowing the differences in perceptions between the two countries regarding major issues such as operational control, North Korea policy, and information sharing, rather than immediate resolutions of individual issues. Some analysts suggest that the common ground established in ministerial discussions could be crucial for broader coordination at the presidential level in managing South Korea-U.S. relations.
Shin Beom-cheol, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute, stated in a phone interview with Aju Economy that “issues like the transfer of operational control are interconnected with various matters such as U.S. investment, Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG), nuclear-powered submarines, and shipbuilding cooperation,” adding that “ultimately, it would be efficient to resolve these through close dialogue between the leaders of South Korea and the U.S., including additional summits.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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