Which countries will National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik visit during his European trip?

Cho Jeong-sik will visit Italy, Vatican City, Croatia and Greece over nine days. The trip is his first overseas visit since he became National Assembly speaker in June.

What will Cho Jeong-sik discuss with Vatican officials during his Europe trip?

Cho will convey the National Assembly’s commitment to supporting World Youth Day 2027, which South Korea will host. He will also ask for continued Vatican attention and support for peace on the Korean Peninsula and the resumption of South-North dialogue.

What economic and industrial cooperation will Cho Jeong-sik pursue in Croatia and Greece?

In Croatia, discussions will cover advanced technologies and the energy and defense industries. In Greece, the agenda will include shipbuilding and shipping, electric cars and batteries, and solar and wind energy.

Assembly speaker to embark on 4-nation trip to Europe

Listen

Summary

National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik is set to depart Seoul on Tuesday for a nine-day, four-nation trip to Italy, Vatican City, Croatia and Greece. He will discuss parliamentary exchanges, economic and industrial cooperation, and support for World Youth Day 2027. In Vatican City, he will seek support for peace on the Korean Peninsula and renewed inter-Korean dialogue.

Key Facts

Cho is scheduled to meet Lorenzo Fontana, president of Italy’s Chamber of Deputies, and Gian Marco Centinaio, vice president of Italy’s Senate, on Wednesday.
In Vatican City, Cho will meet Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik and convey the National Assembly’s support for World Youth Day 2027 in South Korea.
Cho’s Croatia meetings with President Zoran Milanovic, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic are scheduled for Friday.
The Greece agenda includes cooperation in shipbuilding and shipping, electric cars and batteries, and solar and wind energy.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 6, 2026 2:54 pm KST

National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik spaeks during a meeting with Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il at the National Assembly Speaker's office in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik was set to depart on a four-nation trip to Europe on Tuesday to discuss economic and industrial cooperation.

Cho plans to visit Italy, Vatican City, Croatia and Greece over nine days on his first overseas trip since taking office in June.

In Italy, he is scheduled to meet with Lorenzo Fontana, president of the country's Chamber of Deputies, and Gian Marco Centinaio, vice president of its Senate, on Wednesday to discuss expanding exchanges between the countries' parliaments and supporting economic and industrial cooperation.

In Vatican City, he is scheduled to meet with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state of the Holy See, and Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik to convey the commitment of the National Assembly to support World Youth Day 2027, which South Korea will host.

Cho also plans to use the meetings to ask for the Vatican's continued attention and support for peace on the Korean Peninsula and the resumption of dialogue between South and North Korea.

On the next leg of his trip, the speaker will travel to Croatia where he will hold a series of meetings with Croatian President Zoran Milanovic, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Friday.

The two sides are expected to discuss expanding cooperation in advanced technologies and the energy and defense industries.

From Croatia, Cho will visit Greece for talks with Greek President Constantine Tassoulas and President of the Hellenic Parliament Nikitas Kaklamanis on Monday.

Among the agenda items are cooperation in shipbuilding and shipping, electric cars and batteries, and in solar and wind energy.

Explore More