Ex-top envoy to UN tapped as top diplomat
Foreign Minister nominee Cho Tae-yul speaks to the press after the announcement on his nomination by the presidential office, in Seoul, Dec. 19. Yonhap
Cho Tae-yul, former Korean ambassador to the United Nations and the nominee for foreign minister, is a retired veteran diplomat known for his expertise in trade and multilateral affairs.
Yoon's pick of Cho as the top diplomat demonstrates the importance of economic security that the Yoon government places in diplomacy to deal with growing global supply chain risks amid the strategic rivalry between the United States and China.
Cho's "diplomatic acumen and extensive experience" in bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, particularly in the fields of economy and trade, "greatly contribute to resolving various pending diplomatic issues that our country faces amid an international environment where economy and security are complexly intertwined," the presidential office said.
"I feel the pressure of being nominated as a foreign minister at a time of such a geopolitical fissure," Cho said following the announcement.
"I wanted to avoid it if I could, but a public post is not something you can choose for yourself, and when you are called upon by your country, following the calling is the right thing to do," Cho said.
"If officially appointed, I will dedicate myself to strengthening the foundation of national security and prosperity by expanding our diplomatic presence, strategic space and area of activities," Cho added.
Cho, 68, entered the foreign service in 1979. He served in various posts in Thailand, the United States and Saudi Arabia in the 1990s before spending a considerable part of his career in trade affairs in the later years.
Cho served as the ambassador to Spain in 2008 and served as the second vice foreign minister from 2013 to 2016 under the government of President Park Geun-hye. A second vice foreign minister in Korea handles economy and multilateral affairs.
Cho then served as the top envoy to the United Nations from 2016 to 2019 until his retirement. He later held a number of chair positions at the United Nations bodies, including the U.N. Peace Building Commission and the U.N. Development Program.
Until recently, Cho was a member of the private committee for Korea's campaign to host the 2025 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in Gyeongju.
Cho, a Seoul native, graduated from Seoul National University with a law degree. (Yonhap)