Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun on Dec. 19 presents his ministry's 2026 business plan to President Lee Jae Myung at Government Complex-Seoul in Seoul's Jongno-gu District under the theme "Safeguarding National Interests Through Pragmatic Diplomacy." (Yonhap News)

By Lee Jihae

Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun on Dec. 19 presented the ministry's 2026 business plan to President Lee Jae Myung at Government Complex-Seoul in Seoul's Jongno-gu District under the theme "Safeguarding National Interests Through Pragmatic Diplomacy."

Minister Cho announced the holding of another bilateral summit with the U.S. next year and achieving results in implementations of bilateral agreements on areas like nuclear-powered submarines, cooperation in nuclear energy and shipbuilding. A state visit to China early next year by President Lee and continued shuttle diplomacy with Japan were other plans mentioned.

Through continued trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and Japan, the ministry will also seek to accelerate three-way collaboration with Japan and China and hold necessary dialogue with Russia.

The ministry will lead "diplomacy in key hub regions" for the diversification of diplomacy through summit visits to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the nation's third-largest trading partner, India, and Central and South America.

Seoul next year will host its first summit with five Central Asian countries and conduct summit diplomacy with the G7 group of advanced economies and major countries in Europe, the Indo-Pacific region and Middle East.

Efforts will also seek to improve visa processing for staff of Korean companies investing in the U.S. Plans for regular meetings among ministries and private-public cooperation will seek to back exports and orders for not just corporations but also small and medium enterprises.

jihlee08@korea.kr