South Korea Establishes Middle East Task Force for Reconstruction Support

SEOUL, June 22 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government has established a task force to identify country-specific cooperation needs across the Middle East to support South Korean companies' participation in post-conflict reconstruction efforts, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Monday.

"To facilitate South Korean companies' participation in reconstruction efforts in the Middle East and to develop broader economic cooperation with the region, the ministry established a dedicated task force and has actively identified country-specific cooperation needs through overseas missions," Cho said at a press briefing.

"Our responses to the crisis have reinforced the perception among Middle Eastern countries that South Korea is a reliable partner that stands by them in difficult times," he added.

Last week, the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at ending their monthslong war that would extend the countries' ceasefire for 60 days, during which negotiations will take place to address nuclear and other issues to reach a final peace deal.

Cho pledged to work with the U.S. and the broader international community to ensure the agreement serves not only as a short-term deescalation measure but as a foundation for lasting peace and stability in the region.

Regarding South Korean-linked vessels trapped in the Strait of Hormuz, Cho said the government maintains close monitoring of relevant conditions and the safety of Korean ships and crew members.

"We will continue cooperating with relevant countries to ensure the swift restoration of free and safe passage for all vessels, including ours," Cho said. "We are coordinating with Tehran for a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in the near future."

Two South Korean-operated vessels exited the Strait of Hormuz Monday, becoming the first South Korean-linked ships to transit the waterway since last week's U.S.-Iran agreement to reopen the strategic shipping lane, according to the oceans ministry.

Their departure reduced the number of South Korean-related ships remaining in the area to 22.

Later, a senior ministry official said South Korea and the U.S. are expected to reach an agreement on key nuclear cooperation issues this year, including Seoul's pursuit of nuclear submarines and uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing capabilities.

"The latest discussions were held in South Korea, and another round is expected to take place in the U.S. in the near future," the official said while speaking on condition of anonymity. "(We) expect all of these issues to be settled within this year."

To obtain enrichment and reprocessing rights, South Korea would need to pursue partial or comprehensive revisions to the bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement with the U.S., known as the 123 Agreement, or the adoption of an addendum.

"The content of an agreement matters more than its form," the official said, noting that the same principle applies to discussions on nuclear submarines. "We have set a clear goal of reaching an agreement as swiftly as possible."

On North Korea, the official dismissed speculation that China is effectively condoning Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, saying Beijing "appears to have avoided public discussion of the issue."

The remarks follow Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent trip to Pyongyang for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, where, unlike in their previous meetings, the issue of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula was not publicly mentioned.

"China's reluctance to address the issue publicly should be viewed in the broader context of its ties with North Korea, as well as the growing relationship between Pyongyang and Moscow," the ministry official said.

The official also warned that a deepening alignment among North Korea, China and Russia would be undesirable, and stressed the importance of trilateral cooperation among South Korea, China and Japan.

Regarding President Lee Jae Myung's recent proposal to U.S. President Donald Trump at the Group of Seven (G7) summit to pursue the North's denuclearization in phases, the official said Seoul and Washington remain largely aligned.

"We have continued coordinating with the United States through working-level consultations, so I do not think there is any fundamental difference in our positions."