Press Briefing

Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Affairs Lee Jaewoong

February 27, 2025  14:30  KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

Today, I have three things to share with you.

First, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul will visit Poland and France from March 4 to 8.

At the invitation of Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski, Foreign Minister Cho will pay an official visit to Poland, the first by a Korean Foreign Minister in 18 years, and have a meeting with the former on March 5.

In their meeting, the two Foreign Ministers will discuss ways to advance the Korea-Poland strategic partnership with a focus on such critical areas as the defense industry, energy and infrastructure, and exchange views on key regional and global affairs including the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the war in Ukraine.

In particular, Foreign Minister Cho’s upcoming visit to Poland carries significance as one aimed at offering diplomatic support on the ongoing defense industry cooperation between the two countries on an unprecedented scale.

In 2022, Korea and Poland concluded a large-scale defense framework agreement worth about US$44.2 billion, and its executive contracts are under way in order. The Korean government has been doing everything it can in support of the smooth implementation of these contracts.

As such, on his visit to Poland, Foreign Minister Cho will be accompanied by a delegation of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.

During his visit to Poland, Foreign Minister Cho will pay a courtesy call on President Andrzej Duda, visit the Minsk Mazowiecki Military Air Base and have a meeting with local Korean businesspeople, all in an active effort to support defense exports and bolster economic security.

Moving on, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul will hold the fifth ROK-France Foreign Ministerial Strategic Dialogue with Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Noël Barrot on March 7.

The two Foreign Ministers will review the progress in cooperation in strategic areas such as the defense industry, space and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as in other substantive sectors; discuss ways to further deepen and advance such cooperation; and exchange views on key regional and global affairs including the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the war in Ukraine.

The two sides will also reaffirm the commitments of their two governments to close cooperation for the successful celebration of the 140th anniversary of the establishment of Korea-France diplomatic relations in 2026.

Next, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul will have a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand Winston Peters in Seoul on Friday, February 28.

During the meeting, both sides will discuss bilateral issues, including the progress in what the two sides agreed to do during the visit to Korea by Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon in September last year.  

In particular, the two sides will discuss elevating their bilateral relationship to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” and ways to step up cooperation in diverse areas including defense and security, economy, space and science.

Lastly, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul will hold an appointment ceremony  of the members of the Advisory Committee on Economic Security and Foreign Affairs on February 28.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been running this committee since 2022, seeking advice from private-sector experts on issues concerning economic security and foreign affairs.

This year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will appoint 16 experts in various fields such as tariffs, semiconductors, energy and critical minerals to seek comprehensive and strategic advice on Korea's policy on economic security and foreign affairs.

After the appointment ceremony, the first advisory committee meeting will be held chaired by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Insun for discussions on how economic security and foreign affairs should be carried out in response to policies of the recently inaugurated Donald Trump administration.

(A question-and-answer session followed.)