Trump's focus on allies' security aligns with our foreign policy vision: South Korean FM

Highlights

The foreign policy focus of the incoming US administration of President-elect Donald Trump "aligns closely" with South Korea's vision of taking responsibility as a leading country, Seoul's top diplomat said on Tuesday.

Seoul: The foreign policy focus of the incoming US administration of President-elect Donald Trump "aligns closely" with South Korea's vision of taking responsibility as a leading country, Seoul's top diplomat said on Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul made the remark as Seoul is preparing to face the second Trump term following his election win last week, amid a slew of security and economic challenges lying ahead, including North Korea's troop deployment to Russia in support of the war against Ukraine, reports Yonhap news agency.

"President-elect Trump's policy direction emphasises the importance of allies contributing to security," Cho said in a press conference in Seoul. "This aligns closely with our vision of Korea as a global pivotal state, fulfilling responsibilities that meet our national power and status."

Cho said that South Korea and the United States have institutionalised multilateral cooperation with countries like Japan, calling it one of the favourable external conditions that have been created to bolster alliances.

"I am confident that the South Korea-US alliance will remain strong and continue to strengthen under a second Trump administration," he said.

Cho also noted that the first Trump administration was the first such US government that advance the Indo-Pacific strategy, a vision that also aligns with the diplomacy under the Yoon Suk Yeol government.

"The vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific order and strong alliances emphasised through this strategy aligns considerably with the Yoon government's diplomatic stance," he added.

"Our ministry intends to build on these shared policies to enhance cooperation through close policy coordination with a second Trump administration," Cho said.