Cho Hyun highlights freedom of navigation in Hormuz, unveils expansion of Cheonghae unit at G7

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun outlined plans to expand the role of the Cheonghae unit and explained South Korea's efforts to ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz at the G7 foreign ministers' meeting. According to the Foreign Ministry on the 11th, Cho attended the G7 foreign ministers' meeting held in Paris, France, on the 9th and 10th (local time) at the invitation of France, this year's chair country. The foreign ministers of Ukraine, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Brazil, as well as the Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), also attended as invited guests.

During the 'Stability in the Middle East' session on the second day of the meeting, participants discussed freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, energy supply, food security and nuclear threats. Minister Cho said that ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz was critically important. The government has decided to reinforce the Cheonghae unit with an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team and unmanned mine-countermeasure capabilities, and to add 'support for the restoration of freedom of navigation on international sea lanes' to its mission.

Minister Cho explained that security in the Middle East is closely linked to that of the Korean Peninsula and asked the participating countries for their interest in and support for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

At the artificial intelligence (AI) session on the first day of the meeting, with the military use of AI and the growing threat of cyberattacks emerging as major challenges for the international community, participants shared concerns that these trends could pose even greater challenges given the Korean Peninsula's unique security environment.

During the visit, Minister Cho held bilateral talks with the foreign ministers of the United States, France, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Ukraine, as well as the WFP Executive Director. He also attended the dinner of the Paris Peace Forum, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.