1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul of the Republic of Korea held a meeting with the Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken of the United States, who revisited the ROK in four months to attend the third Summit for Democracy ministerial meeting on Monday, March 18. The Ministers had in-depth and strategic discussions on freedom and democracy partnership, nuclear and other issues related to North Korea, regional and global issues.

2. Minister Cho expressed gratitude for the active participation of the U.S. in the Summit for Democracy, with Secretary Blinken attending the ministerial meeting in person and President Joseph R. Biden delivering a video speech. The Ministers welcomed that the ROK's hosting of the summit comes immediately after the U.S. They praised that as a clear example of the alliance based on universal values such as freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. They committed to further collaboration to fully pass on the value of democracy to future generations.

3. The Ministers condemned multiple launches of presumed short-range ballistic missiles by North Korea, which took place right before the ROK-hosted Summit for Democracy (March 18) that is meant to contribute to freedom, peace and prosperity of the world through the promotion of democracy. They emphasized that such continued provocations by North Korea only strengthen the ROK-U.S.-Japan trilateral and international coordination against North Korea. In addition, Secretary Blinken reiterated that the U.S. commitment to the deterrence of the ROK is ironclad.

4. Minister Cho stated that although North Korea has rejected unification and declared that the South and the North are two belligerent states, the ROK will continue its unification efforts to expand the universal values of freedom and human rights. The Ministers reaffirmed the goal of complete denuclearization of North Korea, expressed concern over any potential unilateral attempts by Pyongyang to change the status quo in the West Sea and agreed to continue their close coordination. They also committed to continue cooperation in cutting off North Korea’s revenue generation that funds its nuclear and missile programs such as illicit cyber activities, dispatch of overseas workers, and ship-to-ship transfers of refined oil.

5. Furthermore, they exchanged views on key regional issues including Ukraine, the Middle East, the South China Sea, and the Taiwan Strait. They also comprehensively discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between the ROK and the U.S. on the global stage, including at the United Nations Security Council, the Group of Seven (G7), and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). They agreed to continue discussions on the margins of various multilateral occasions.