Korea wants Jeju Forum to be global platform of peace, int'l cooperation: foreign minister

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at Government Complex Seoul, June 5. The minister serves as a co-chair for the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity, slated for this Wednesday to Friday on Jeju Island. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Someday, "Jeju" could carry the same global resonance as "Davos," but as a name synonymous with peace, cooperation and dialogue rather than economic power.

That is the ambition Foreign Minister Cho Hyun laid out for the 21st Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity, which will run this Wednesday to Friday on Korea's southern island.

“As Davos, a mountain city of the Alps, became a brand of the World Economic Forum itself, we hope the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity will position itself as a platform to contribute to world peace, and therefore the name ‘Jeju’ becomes a symbol of peace, cooperation and dialogue in the international community,” Cho said during an interview with The Korea Times June 5.

Cho serves as the co-chair of the forum alongside Jeju Gov. Oh Young-hun. The ministry is participating in the event as a co-host starting this year, showing the government's commitment to elevating the status of the annual global event.

The minister said Korea's unique historical trajectory — being the only country since World War II to transition from foreign aid recipient to major donor — gives it the potential to build a distinct platform for a new model of international cooperation, bridging the Global South and the developed world.

"This distinct identity separates Korea from other nations and should serve as the baseline when discussing the future role of the Jeju Forum," he said.

For Cho, the forum's most symbolic moment will be a Thursday plenary bringing together candidates for the next U.N. secretary-general — a session he described as a milestone backed by Korea's rising international stature.

The confirmed participants are Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, permanent mission of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to the United Nations; María Fernanda Espinosa, former president of the 73rd U.N. General Assembly and former foreign minister of Ecuador; Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency; Rebeca Grynspan Mayufis, secretary-general of the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development; and Macky Sall, former president of Senegal.

Ban Ki-moon, the eighth U.N. secretary-general, will deliver welcoming remarks at the session and also take part in the World Leaders Session earlier in the day.

Panelists speak during a session named "Trump 2.0 and the DPRK Nuclear Issue and Peace on the Korean Peninsula" at the 20th Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity in Seogwipo on Jeju Island, May 29, 2025. Courtesy of Jeju Forum Secretariat

The session also carries personal significance for Cho. About two decades ago, he attended a similar gathering at Davos, accompanying then-Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon as candidates made their case for the same post.

"I was there, watching those global leaders take the stage, and I couldn't help but feel envious of what that platform represented. Yet today, Korea is doing that," he said.

He attributed Korea's ability to attract the candidates to a combination of factors, centered on Ban — currently the only living former U.N. secretary-general — and the symbolism he carries.

"The institutional symbolism and Ban’s network within the U.N., coupled with Korea’s position as a nation that has produced a U.N. leader, have served as a core pillar of soft power, drawing future candidates to the Jeju Forum," Cho said, noting that the country's growing influence comes at a moment when Asia is becoming central to the global economy and security.

Beyond that centerpiece, the 21st edition of the annual forum runs under the theme "Reinventing Cooperation in a Fragmented World," with some 68 sessions covering U.S.-China rivalry, artificial intelligence (AI) governance, stability on the Korean Peninsula, climate change and the role of local governments in global affairs.

Regarding the ministry's co-hosting, Cho framed it as a response to growing international expectations of Seoul as a G7-tier country.

"The government is committed to becoming a responsible global power, working hand-in-hand with the international community to tackle shared global crises," he said. "The expectations placed upon us have never been higher. Recognizing the urgent need for a diplomatic platform that matches this position, the ministry decided to co-host this forum."

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, right, talks with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, left, during a bilateral meeting in India, Aug. 16, 2025. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

According to Cho, one of the key attendees is Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. His participation in the Jeju Forum underscores the expanding strategic partnership between the two nations, Cho said. The Indian minister will give a keynote speech during an opening ceremony at the forum.

“It is meaningful to have Minister Jaishankar, as India is a leading nation among Global South countries," Cho said. He added President Lee Jae Myung visited India in April, about 10 months after taking office, which was the earliest visit by a Korean president after their inauguration.

"I also visited India early in my term, and had bilateral talks with him recently. This shows cooperation between the two nations has been very close," Cho said.

He highlighted that the forum would provide a rare opportunity to gain critical insights at a time when the world is becoming increasingly complex and the global leadership is weakening, serving as a platform to discuss tackling the issues together.

"The international landscape is shifting rapidly, driving up global uncertainties. In this era of complex crises, escalating geopolitical conflicts and weakening global leadership are placing the rules-based international order under severe pressure," he said.

"To counter the weakening of global leadership, it is vital that capable nations take greater responsibility and boost cooperation. While tackling issues across various sectors, they should work to improve and reinforce the existing international order."

He added that Korea is partnering with countries that hold an edge in areas such as AI, trade and climate, building a cooperative network to help shape multilateral rules.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun smiles during an interview with The Korea Times at Government Complex Seoul, June 5. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Cho also said the government would share with forum participants the Lee administration's foreign policy, which he described as pragmatic diplomacy. He said the forum will help build the multilateral networks needed to sustain that agenda, connecting Seoul with partners across AI, trade and climate governance.

"Over the last year, the administration has normalized Korea's foreign policy and built a solid foundation for pragmatic diplomacy. Entering our second year, we are fully launching an outcome-driven diplomatic strategy to power the nation’s great transformation and major leap forward," he said.

Those remarks come against a backdrop of mounting threats to that agenda, such as overlapping geopolitical conflicts from the recently subsided war in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war, to tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

"As conflicts continue, a polycrisis driven by disruptions in energy, supply chains and maritime logistics is expanding across all fronts. We now live in a dangerous world where not only economic means, but anything can be weaponized if it aligns with a nation's self-interest," he said.

"For Korea, which relies heavily on the Strait of Hormuz for the vast majority of its energy supply, the war in the Middle East directly affects our daily lives. I am certain each participant's country is facing its own severe hardships brought about by these prolonged conflicts."

That, he said, is why capable middle powers need not wait for major powers to lead.

"In tandem with diversifying supply chains to protect economic security, I hope we can reaffirm the need for global solidarity and galvanize collective action toward stronger cooperation through the Jeju Forum."

Who is Cho Hyun?

Born in 1957, Cho Hyun began his diplomatic career in 1979, building his expertise primarily in multilateral and global affairs. Over four decades, he held a series of senior posts including ambassador to the United Nations, first and second vice minister of foreign affairs and ambassador to India. He also served on secondment to the presidential office, where he worked on national strategy from 2003 to 2004. After a period away from public service, he returned to the diplomatic arena in July 2025 as foreign minister under the Lee Jae Myung administration.