South Korea's FM Cho to attend G7 foreign ministerial meeting in Canada next week

SEOUL — South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will travel to Canada next week to attend the expanded foreign ministerial meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) major countries, his office said on Friday.

Cho will make a four-day trip starting on Tuesday at the invitation of Canada, the host for the G7 meetings this year, and plans to deliver remarks in two expanded sessions of top diplomats, the ministry said in a release.

He plans to address maritime security and prosperity, energy security and critical minerals, areas closely related to South Korea's national interests, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Cho also plans to hold a series of bilateral meetings with the counterparts of key nations on the sidelines of the gathering, the ministry added.

Cho's upcoming trip comes as South Korea seeks to expand its role within the G7 forum and deepen cooperation with member countries -- the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.

President Lee Jae Myung attended the expanded leaders' session of the G7 summit in Alberta in June, days after he took office.

During his visit, Lee joined an expanded G7 session in Alberta and held a series of bilateral talks with leaders from G7 member states and other invited participants, as he sought to demonstrate that South Korea's summit diplomacy is back on track following a period of political turmoil.

Lee was elected in the June 3 presidential vote that was set up following the April ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched martial law bid in December.

During the G7 gathering, Lee held his first in-person meeting with then-Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, during which they agreed to bolster three-way cooperation with the United States to respond to geopolitical crises, including those involving North Korea.

He also met with leaders from Canada, Britain, Australia, South Africa, India, Brazil, and Mexico, as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and top European Union officials.