New FM Cho regrets diplomacy was politicized under previous gov't

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Monday issued a rare public apology for the ministry's past diplomatic conduct that he said had been misused for political purposes under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol government. Cho made the remarks at his appointment ceremony as the first foreign minister under President Lee Jae Myung, who took office last month following the ouster of Yoon over his botched martial law imposition in December. "Over the past few years, diplomatic issues were used for domestic political purposes, and the field of diplomacy, where national interest and pragmatism should prevail, was often approached in a black-and-white manner," Cho said. "As foreign minister, I offer my sincere apology to the public," he noted, adding the foreign ministry has failed to meet public expectations throughout the process and vowing to reform the organization to prevent a recurrence of such missteps. In this time of growing geopolitical instability, establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula has to be South Korea's top diplomatic priority, Cho pointed out. "We must work closely with the United StatesWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times