South Korea, US discuss Seoul’s role in Middle East, investment pact
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sept 18 to discuss Seoul’s role in Middle East security and delayed South Korean investments in the United States. Cho expressed Seoul’s willingness to contribute to restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and Rubio stressed swift execution of the investment commitments.
Why it matters: This matters for the geoeconomics theme because the delayed US$350 billion investment package ties alliance diplomacy to commercial viability and tariff concessions.