‘Securing peace': South Korea pivots to pragmatic diplomacy
South Korea 's newly appointed foreign minister has pushed aside past dogma – signalling Seoul's shift towards pragmatic engagement under recently elected President
Lee Jae-myung
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'Diplomatic issues were exploited for domestic political purposes,' said Cho, a veteran diplomat with decades of experience. 'We need to move beyond ideological divides and pursue a pragmatic diplomacy rooted in rationality and efficiency, with national interests at the centre.'
South Korea's new Foreign Minister Cho Hyun burns incense to pay tribute to war dead at the National Cemetery in Seoul on Monday. Cho has said securing peace on the peninsula is a 'top priority'. Photo: Yonhap/EPA
Analysts say Cho's remarks echo President Lee's determination to steer the nation away from the 'friend-or-foe' world view that defined the previous conservative administration, which critics contend placed political alignment above practical diplomacy.
Cho singled out South Korea's failed
bid to host the World Expo in 2030 – an effort championed by Yoon despite formidable competition from
Saudi Arabia – as emblematic of misplaced priorities.
He also alluded to 'inappropriate comments' by former officials that strained key relationships, likely a nod to Yoon's unsubstantiated allegations of
Chinese interference in South Korean elections and claims about anti-state forces linked to
North Korea and China.
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Observers see Cho's candid statements as a clear declaration that Seoul intends to break with the Yoon government's value-based diplomacy in favour of a broader, more strategic approach: one that balances traditional alliances while expanding diplomatic outreach.
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