Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis visited Seoul on February 6 and held bilateral talks with Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two discussed bilateral relations, cooperation on the international stage, and the situation in major regions. It was also an opportunity to discuss the war in Ukraine and possible paths to peace.
In light of the fact that both Switzerland and Korea are serving as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council this year, the two ministers agreed to work closely together to promote peace and security in the international community. They also agreed to make efforts to increase bilateral trade, as well as strengthen cooperation in high-tech fields such as biotechnology.
The two ministers called for further development of cooperation between the two countries, which share universal values such as democracy, rule of law, and human rights. The South Korean Minister expressed his appreciation for the active high-level exchanges between the two countries on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations last year. Switzerland and the Republic of Korea established diplomatic relations on February 11, 1963.
In response to Minister Cho’s appreciation of Switzerland's leadership as the chair of the U.N. Security Council Sanctions Committee on North Korea and his expression of hope to continue working closely together on North Korea's nuclear and human rights issues, Minister Cassis responded that Switzerland will continue to support South Korea's efforts to denuclearize North Korea and achieve a peaceful settlement on the Korean Peninsula. The two also agreed to stand in solidarity with the international community's efforts to end the war in Ukraine.