Paris: Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met briefly with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Paris, though pressing concerns like the Strait of Hormuz and summit follow-ups went largely unaddressed as time ran short, according to the foreign ministry Sunday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the encounter occurred on the sidelines of the Group of Seven foreign ministers' meeting, where Rubio attended only the second day of the two-day gathering. The meeting was mostly an exchange of greetings, rather than the informal "pull-aside" talks that often transpire between countries during multilateral meetings, leaving little time to discuss pending issues, the ministry stated.

South Korea is currently assessing how it can contribute to international efforts to ensure the safety and free navigation of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global energy supplies that has been effectively closed amid the Middle East conflict. The aim is to do so in a manner that minimizes any strain on its alliance with the United States and its relationship with Iran.

Moreover, Seoul is keen to expedite the implementation of security agreements with Washington, as outlined in their joint fact sheet produced after two summits between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump last year. Central to these security commitments is U.S. support for South Korea's efforts to acquire nuclear-powered submarines and secure rights to uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing capabilities for peaceful use.

Cho also addressed these issues with Allison Hooker, U.S. under secretary of state for political affairs, during their meeting at the same venue in Paris earlier this week.