Schallenberg: Position Austria more strongly in South Korea
Austria will position itself more culturally, economically and politically in South Korea. Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) said after a meeting with the Republic of Korea’s Foreign Minister Park Jin in Seoul today. The two countries are democratic and open societies in a “demanding neighborhood” and “massively” dependent on exports, emphasized Schallenberg among other things as similarities.
It is “remarkable that South Korea decided for the first time to impose sanctions on Russia,” he said in view of the response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. South Korea, like Austria, sees this as an attack on the international rule-based order, in which not the “law of the strongest” but the “strength of the law” applies.
Tense situation on the Korean Peninsula
The second major topic of today’s meeting was security and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The situation is “very tense”. Foreign Minister Park Jin reported that there had never been such a high frequency of rocket launches and such a variety of weapon systems, said Schallenberg. The rhetoric has also intensified. North Korea is now claiming a nuclear first strike.
It is well known that probably only China “at the end of the day” could have a calming influence on Pyongyang, said Schallenberg. The Republic of Korea knows this very well and there are contacts.
The reason for Schallenberg’s trip is the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Austria and Korea and the strategic partnership entered into last year. This is the first visit by an Austrian foreign minister to South Korea in 21 years. Last year, the then President of the Republic of Korea, Moon Jae-in, and the then Foreign Minister, Eui-Yong Chung, visited Vienna.