Do Je-hae edits news stories as part of the AI team.
Korea to seek G7 expansion
Kim Hyun-chong, deputy chief of the presidential National Security Office, arrives for a briefing at the Cheong Wa Dae media center, Tuesday. Yonhap
By Do Je-hae
By Do Je-hae
Korea will seek to realize an expansion of the G7 framework of the world's most advanced economies, an initiative proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a Cheong Wa Dae official.
The remark follows opposition from some of the existing G7 members.
Kim Hyun-chong, second deputy chief of the presidential National Security Office (NSO), reaffirmed Seoul's position to actively respond to the proposal from Trump for a G11 or G12.
“The G7 summit is likely to take place on Aug. 31 or Sept. 1 in Washington. If we participate, we need to make relevant negotiations in order for Korea to take part in it every year,” Kim said during a KBS interview, Tuesday. “We also need to discuss in what capacity we will be taking part.”
Kim referred to Trump's remarks during a phone call with President Moon Jae-in in June when the U.S. leader called the G7 system “obsolete.”
“We need to establish the G11. But for this, we will need unanimous approval from all G7 member states,” Kim added.
Kim's comment is in response to opposition from Japan and Germany about expanding the current G7 framework.
The two countries have protested Trump's proposal, with Germany expressing doubt about the necessity of the expansion. “The G7 and G20 are two sensibly coordinated formats. We don't need a G11 or a G12,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Sunday.
Tokyo has cited Seoul's position on North Korea and China, which it claims is different from G7 members', as reasons that it should not be accepted into the G7 framework, but has said it is open to the idea of inviting Korea as an observer.
In June, Trump said he wanted to invite leaders from Korea, Australia, India and Russia for this year's G6 summit and to expand G7. Cheong Wa Dae has welcomed the idea and been reviewing the issue since then.