Seoul: Foreign Minister Cho Hyun emphasized the necessity of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, describing it as an "imperative" that should not be forsaken, with a commitment to prevent the region from becoming a hotspot for armed conflict.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho's remarks were delivered during the Seoul Diplomacy Forum 2025, organized by the Korea National Diplomatic Academy. The speech was presented by Youn Jong-kwon, ambassador for international cyber affairs, in Cho's absence due to an overseas trip.

Cho underscored that Korea's foremost security priority is to avert war and ensure the peninsula remains free of armed conflict, advocating for a "nuclear-free" Korean Peninsula as an essential goal. He outlined the government's phased approach to denuclearization, starting with halting North Korea's nuclear arsenal, followed by its reduction and eventual dismantlement.

While reinforcing defense capabilities against threats from North Korea, Cho stressed the importance of preventing inadvertent conflicts, reducing tensions, and restoring dialogue with Pyongyang. He acknowledged the increasingly complex strategic landscape marked by geopolitical, geoeconomic, and nuclear challenges posed by North Korea.

Furthermore, Cho highlighted the broader quest for peaceful coexistence beyond the Korean Peninsula, advocating against the formation of confrontational blocs in the region. He expressed a commitment to enhancing trilateral cooperation involving Korea, the United States, and Japan, as well as collaborations with Korea, China, and Japan to foster regional stability.