Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul speaks during a press conference at the Government Complex Seoul in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul expressed optimism on Tuesday that the South Korea-U.S. alliance will remain solid under the incoming Donald Trump administration, dismissing concerns that the president-elect's "America First" policies could weaken the decades-long partnership.
"I am confident that the South Korea-U.S. alliance will remain robust and continue to strengthen under the second Trump administration," Cho said during a press conference.
He emphasized that Trump's focus on expanding the roles and security contributions of allies aligns with South Korea's vision of becoming a global pivotal state by fulfilling responsibilities commensurate with its national power.
"Additionally, during Trump's first term, the U.S. formally advanced its Indo-Pacific Strategy. The free and open Indo-Pacific order stressed in this strategy closely aligns with the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's diplomatic principles," the foreign minister noted.
Cho pledged that his ministry will work to deepen cooperation with the upcoming U.S. administration based on these shared policy goals.
His remarks came amid heightened concerns in South Korea regarding Trump's return to the White House. During his first term, bilateral relations were strained due to the U.S. leader's transactional approach to alliances.
One key concern is that Trump may attempt to reverse the 12th Special Measures Agreement (SMA), which outlines South Korea's financial contributions for hosting 28,500 U.S. troops starting in 2026. Although the deal was finalized in October, there are concerns that Trump may seek to nullify the agreement, demanding Seoul to pay more.
"To my knowledge, President-elect Trump has not directly commented on the outcome of the 12th SMA negotiations. His recent media remarks — though some may be exaggerated — reflect his position concerning the 11th SMA negotiations," a foreign ministry official said during a closed-door briefing.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes the stage following early results from the presidential election in Palm Beach County Convention Center, in West Palm Beach, Fla., Nov. 6 (local time). Reuters-Yonhap
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that there is little reason to be overly concerned about Trump pushing for a renegotiation of the deal.
However, he noted that once the 12th SMA is ratified by the National Assembly, it would gain legal stability, making it harder to revise under the new U.S. administration.
Beyond the bilateral alliance, Trump's return is expected to have significant implications for the security landscape in Northeast Asia.
Officials in Seoul and Washington are closely monitoring Pyongyang's military cooperation with Moscow, including the recent deployment of North Korean troops to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
During the presidential campaign, Trump said he could "end the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours." His approach could complicate the South Korean government's deliberation on whether to provide weapons to Kyiv, depending on the scale of North Korea's involvement in the conflict.
"It is true that President-elect Trump expressed a strong commitment to ending the war within 24 hours during his campaign. However, a war doesn't end with a unilateral decision. There are other parties involved, and the interests of the related countries must be considered," the foreign ministry official said.
"At this point, I don't see any urgent need for our government to make drastic policy changes (regarding the war in Ukraine)."
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects rebuilding works at a flood-hit area in North Phyongan Province, in this photo carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency, Nov. 5. Yonhap
Earlier in the day, North Korea announced that its leader Kim Jong-un has formally ratified a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with Russia signed in June, just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin did the same. The treaty, which has now officially taken effect, includes a clause on mutual defense in the event of an attack on one of the parties.
Regarding this, South Korea's foreign ministry viewed that the ratification of the treaty could be connected with North Korean troop activities in Ukraine.
"The North Korea-Russia treaty and its potential link to the deployment of North Korean troops is something we will need to monitor closely. Personally, I believe there is a significant likelihood of such a connection," the official said.
"We will respond accordingly, based on our principle that Russia should cease its military cooperation with North Korea and North Korean troops should immediately withdraw from Russia."