S. Korea faces 'everything everywhere all at once' moment in geopolitics: foreign minister nominee

Foreign minister nominee Cho Hyun speaks to reporters during an impromptu briefing on his way to work in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

South Korea’s nominee for foreign minister warned Tuesday that the nation faces a diplomatic landscape as chaotic and overlapping as the film “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” vowing to navigate the turbulence with pragmatism, patience and discretion.

In his first public remarks since being tapped for the role by President Lee Jae Myung, Cho Hyun struck a careful, measured tone — declining to offer specific policy plans ahead of his confirmation hearing, but signaling a continued commitment to “pragmatic diplomacy” and a quiet, steady-hand approach in managing relations with major powers including the United States, China and North Korea.

"It's like the movie ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once.’ It's hard to prioritize just one thing," Cho told reporters during an impromptu briefing on his way to work.

"Given the current instability in the international landscape, I feel a great sense of responsibility as I take on this role at the ministry of foreign affairs," he said. He pledged to carefully assess and navigate the increasingly complex global environment if confirmed as minister.

Cho, a former vice foreign minister and ambassador to the United Nations, was nominated Monday as the first top diplomat under the Lee Jae Myung administration. He is expected to undergo a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in the coming weeks.

When asked about his first task as foreign minister, Cho said a visit to the United States may be among his initial missions, but emphasized that "we must move away from the fixed notion that visiting the U.S. is always the top priority."

Cho also addressed the president’s decision not to attend the NATO summit in The Hague from Tuesday to Wednesday, with National Security Office Chief Wi Sung-lac attending instead.

“I believe the best decision was made given the high level of uncertainty,” he said.

Japan said Monday that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba cancelled plans to attend the NATO summit, joining other Indo-Pacific countries after U.S. President Donald Trump intervened in the Israel-Iran war.

On Korea-Japan relations, Cho said, “President Lee Jae Myung has set a very clear position at the first summit … While developing Korea-Japan relations, we should resolve any issues that arise through quiet diplomacy.”

On diplomacy with China and Russia, he struck a cautious tone.

“I think this is a very sensitive issue,” Cho said. “Therefore, it should be considered along with other important diplomatic matters.”

Looking ahead, Cho identified facilitating dialogue between North Korea and the United States as a top foreign policy priority for the Lee administration.

“Establishing lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue between North Korea and the United States is one of our government’s top priorities,” he said. “We will work closely with other government agencies in line with the president’s vision to ensure there are no obstacles in advancing this goal.”

Unification Minister nominee Chung Dong-young speaks to reporters in front of the ministry's Inter-Korean Relations Management Bureau in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Meanwhile, Chung Dong-young, nominated as South Korea’s next unification minister, echoed Cho’s call for renewed U.S.-North Korea dialogue and pledged to restore communication with Pyongyang after a six-year freeze, calling it the top priority for easing inter-Korean tensions.

“I personally support a U.S.-North Korea summit. It’s something only President Trump could attempt — previous administrations did not try,” the nominee said, addressing questions from reporters Tuesday. He was referencing the three summits held during Trump’s first term as president and the significance of the Singapore agreement from June 2018, where both leaders signed a joint statement committing to security guarantees for North Korea, new peaceful relations and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

He also lamented the breakdown of the Hanoi summit in 2019, which collapsed over disagreements on the scope of North Korea's denuclearization steps in exchange for sanctions relief, attributing the failure to hardline elements within the U.S. administration at the time.

“The collapse of the Hanoi talks was deeply regrettable, and those who disrupted the process bear heavy responsibility,” he said. The nominee also highlighted the symbolic importance of the June 30, 2019, meeting at Panmunjom, where Trump and Kim met at the inter-Korean border.

Chung emphasized that the South Korean government is prepared to back renewed Washington-Pyongyang talks, seeing such engagement as crucial to achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.

“We believe that continued dialogue between Trump and Kim Jong-un would greatly contribute to easing tensions and promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula,” he said, adding that Seoul will do its utmost to facilitate and support any efforts toward reconciliation.