Vice Foreign Minister's visit to the U.S. and Japan...'Restoring trust' face-to-face contact

Raising the need to calm anxiety in major countries related to the domestic situation

Ministerial call constantly raises the need for high-level face-to-face meetings

He is likely to stress the unwavering alliance between the U.S. and South Korea and the cooperation to counter

[Anchor]
First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun went on a visit to the United States and Japan.

The government has started face-to-face contact with major countries to restore diplomatic trust that has weakened since the emergency martial law and impeachment.

The analysis is that it takes time to restore trust.

Reporter Hong Sun-ki reports.

[Reporter]
First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun will visit the United States and Japan one after another, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

It is the first time that a senior government official at the vice minister level or higher has gone abroad for face-to-face communication since the recent declaration of emergency martial law.

This is because many point out that major countries should calm their anxiety regarding the domestic situation that led to the impeachment of the president.

[Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yeol: I am well aware that there are many doubts at home and abroad about the sustainability of the diplomatic stance that our government has been pushing for under the current impeachment situation]

The need for face-to-face communication has been steadily raised, although phone calls between South Korean foreign ministers and defense chiefs have been made.

[U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell: We plan high-level face-to-face communications with South Korea in due course in the final weeks of the Biden administration]

Vice Minister Kim will explain the recent domestic situation and discuss bilateral cooperation through the Korea-U.S. foreign ministers' talks.

In particular, it is expected to emphasize its firm willingness to respond along with an analysis of the possibility of North Korea's provocations.

In addition, we plan to convey our unwavering will to improve relations between Korea and Japan at the Korea-Japan foreign ministers' meeting and confirm our willingness to cooperate with the three countries.

However, the purpose of this visit is, above all, to explain the domestic situation and restore trust.

For this reason, Vice Minister Kim is expected to emphasize the explanation of communication and constant cooperation that has not been smooth during the recent emergency martial law crisis.

However, some point out that the important thing is contact with the next Trump administration with less than a month left before the Biden administration's term.

This is YTN Hong Seon-gi.