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Foreign minister to travel to Poland, France next week to discuss defense industry cooperation

Published: 27 Feb. 2025, 18:23

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul delivers remarks during a session of the foreign ministers' meeting of the Group of 20 nations in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Feb. 22. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul will travel to Poland and France next week to discuss bilateral cooperation in sectors, including the defense industry, Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.

Cho will leave for Poland on Tuesday for the first official visit by a South Korean foreign minister to the country in 18 years and will hold talks with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski the following day, the ministry said.

The two ministers will discuss ways to advance bilateral relations in defense manufacturing, energy, infrastructure and other sectors, and exchange views on regional and global issues, such as the situation on the Korean Peninsula and Russia's war with Ukraine.

The two countries are currently processing contracts after South Korea's defense industry collectively signed a framework agreement worth about US$44.2 billion with Poland in July 2022 for arms exports.

During his stay in Poland, Cho will also pay a courtesy call to Polish President Andrzej Duda and visit the country's Minsk Mazowiecki military air base.

On March 7, Cho will hold talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in France to discuss cooperation on the defense industry, as well as various sectors including space and artificial intelligence among others.

They will also discuss regional and international security issues and reaffirm their governments' cooperation to successfully host joint events next year celebrating the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the ministry said.

The ministry also revealed that Cho is scheduled to hold talks with New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters in Seoul on Friday to discuss measures to advance cooperation in defense, security, the economy, space, science and other areas.

Yonhap