Seoul, Feb 4 South Korea is in talks with the United States to hold a meeting between their top diplomats in Washington at an early date, Seoul's foreign ministry said on Tuesday, in what will be, if realised, the first such talks since the launch of the Donald Trump administration.
The ministry's comment came amid growing speculation that Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul might travel to the US capital sometime next week to meet one-on-one with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reports Yonhap news agency.
In their phone conversation last month, the two sides said they plan to coordinate details for in-person talks at the earliest possible date.
"The foreign ministry is consulting with the US to arrange a foreign ministers' meeting as soon as possible," ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong said in a press briefing.
Cho is likely to visit Washington next week, ahead of his possible trips to Germany and South Africa to attend two separate multilateral gatherings set to take place in each country later this month, a diplomatic source said.
The Munich Security Conference is due to be held in the German city from February 14-16. South Africa is scheduled to host a foreign ministers' meeting of the Group of 20 (G20) nations in Johannesburg from February 20-21.
"We're positively considering the minister's attendance for both occasions," a source said. "We are preparing with the possibility in mind that the talks (with Rubio) could take place before the Munich (conference)."
If realised, the trips will mark Cho's first overseas visits since the political turmoil triggered by President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law and his subsequent impeachment.
Under the acting leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, South Korea has been working to reassure other countries of its steadfast commitment and diplomatic capabilities despite the political chaos.
With his new US counterpart, Cho will have a range of issues to discuss, including the bilateral alliance, North Korean threats, and key economic agendas affecting South Korean companies, especially in light of Trump's policies.
In Washington, Cho could also meet with US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.
Cho could also use the Munich and G20 sessions to highlight the country's commitment to key international issues and reaffirm its diplomatic standing.
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