Foreign Minister Cho Hyun to visit U.S. on Oct. 29 for G20 foreign ministers' meeting

Oct 27, 2026, 09:04 am

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will attend the Group of 20 (G20) foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta, United States, during a visit from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2. Attention is turning to whether Cho will seek a breakthrough in bilateral issues through talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the meeting.

A foreign ministry official told reporters on Oct. 26 that Cho plans to discuss major international challenges, including geopolitical issues, energy and supply chains, and explore ways to strengthen cooperation within the G20 framework.

Cho is also seeking bilateral meetings with foreign ministers from major countries on the sidelines of the gathering. "During the meeting, we plan to hold bilateral talks with foreign ministers from major countries and exchange views on bilateral relations, practical cooperation and regional developments," the official said.

If Cho meets Rubio, it will be their first meeting in about 40 days, following their previous talks on Sept. 18. During the South Korea-U.S. foreign ministers' meeting in Washington, D.C., last month, sensitive issues such as South Korean investment in the United States and Seoul's contributions to security in the Strait of Hormuz were on the agenda.

This time, differences over U.S. restrictions on intelligence sharing concerning North Korea and the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) are expected to be major topics of discussion. With follow-up negotiations on issues including nuclear-powered submarines progressing slowly, attention is also focused on whether another meeting between the two foreign ministers could help advance these discussions. However, the foreign ministry official added, "No meetings have been confirmed yet, and we are working to arrange them with several countries."

South Korea is scheduled to assume the G20 presidency in 2028. Regarding preparations for the role, the official said, "We plan to work closely with member countries to ensure that discussions on global issues continue to develop with continuity."

Lee Han-sol

#G20 #Diplomacy #Cho Hyun