Foreign Minister nominee Cho Tae-yul takes an oath at the start of his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul, Jan. 8. Yonhap

South Korea's foreign minister nominee vowed Monday to focus on accelerating cooperation with the United States and Japan amid growing missile and nuclear threats from North Korea.

North Korea has recently upped the ante on the Korean Peninsula, firing several dozens of artillery shells near the inter-Korean border for three consecutive days.

"We will push for South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation, which was institutionalized at the Camp David trilateral summit, with greater depth and speed," Cho Tae-yul said in a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly.

He stressed the ministry will seek to dissuade North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and work in cooperation with the international community to help Pyongyang realize that achieving denuclearization through dialogue is the "only way to survive."

"Denuclearization and strengthening nuclear deterrence have become urgent security tasks as North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities have reached a level that threatens our lives," he said.

Cho emphasized the "world is turning into a jungle ruled by the logic of power," noting multiple global challenges, including the Ukrainian war and U.S.-China rivalry.

The nominee added he will ramp up efforts to boost the South Korea-U.S. alliance, while continuing to improve ties with Japan and focusing on building trust with China for future cooperation. (Yonhap)