What did Cho Hyun and Marco Rubio agree on during their Washington meeting?

They agreed to make joint efforts so the ongoing consultations on strategic investment projects in the U.S. would yield good results. They also said they would keep communicating to implement their key agreements faithfully, including the Joint Fact Sheet.

Why was South Korea’s first U.S. investment project announcement delayed?

The announcement was reportedly pushed back until next week after a related briefing to the National Assembly was delayed. Seoul and Washington had initially expected to unveil the project on Friday Korea time.

What other issues did Cho Hyun raise with the U.S. besides the investment talks?

Cho said Seoul wanted to contribute substantively to efforts to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and asked Rubio to continue close communication on that issue. The two sides also reaffirmed their solid commitment to the alliance and agreed to keep pursuing denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and diplomacy.

Cho, Rubio agree to work together for 'good' results from talks on US investment projects

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Summary

South Korea and the United States said they would work together for good results from talks on Seoul’s investment projects in the U.S. during a meeting in Washington on Friday. The talks are tied to last year’s bilateral trade deal, under which Seoul committed to invest $350 billion in the U.S. The first investment project announcement was expected on Friday but was reportedly delayed until next week after a National Assembly briefing was postponed. The two sides also reaffirmed their alliance and cooperation on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Key Facts

Seoul and Washington were initially expected to announce Korea’s first investment project on Friday, but the announcement was reportedly postponed until next week.
The postponement reportedly followed a delay in a related briefing to the National Assembly.
The investment talks are part of efforts to implement last year’s bilateral trade deal under which Seoul committed to invest $350 billion in the U.S.
The ministry said the two sides also agreed to continue communication for the faithful implementation of their key agreements, including the Joint Fact Sheet released in November.
Cho told Rubio that Seoul wanted to contribute substantively to efforts to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 19, 2026 12:25 am KST
Updated Sep 19, 2026 7:02 am KST

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, left, shakes hands with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio before their talks at the State Department in Washington, Friday, in this photo released by the foreign ministry. Yonhap

WASHINGTON — The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States agreed to work together for "good" results from bilateral talks on the Asian country's investment projects in the U.S. during their meeting in Washington on Friday, the foreign ministry said.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met at the State Department as the two countries have been in talks over the investment projects as part of efforts to implement last year's bilateral trade deal under which Seoul committed to investing $350 billion in the U.S.

Seoul and Washington were initially expected to announce Korea's first investment project on Friday (Korea time). But the announcement has reportedly been postponed until next week after a related briefing to the National Assembly was delayed.

"The minister and secretary agreed to make joint efforts to ensure that ongoing consultations related to strategic investment projects in the U.S. will yield good results, and to continue communication for the faithful implementation of both leaders' key agreements, including the Joint Fact Sheet (JFS)," the ministry said.

The ministry was referring to the fact sheet that Seoul and Washington released in November to outline security, trade and other agreements from last year's summits between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump.

During the talks, Cho explained to Rubio Seoul's will to contribute "substantively" to the efforts to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and called on the secretary to continue close communication on the matter.

The two sides also reaffirmed their "solid" commitment to the bilateral alliance, and agreed to continue efforts to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and peace and stability on the peninsula through dialogue and diplomacy, according to the ministry.

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