South Korea’s foreign minister nominee pledged Thursday to pursue a “pragmatic, national interest-driven diplomacy” to advance relations with South Korea’s neighbors, while working to ease inter-Korean tensions and restart negotiations with North Korea.

“Under close cooperation between South Korea and the United States, we will ease tensions between the North and South and create a path to resume dialogue with North Korea,” Cho Hyun said in his opening remarks at his confirmation hearing on Thursday. 

Speaking to the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Cho emphasized the need for “a phased and practical approach” that seeks to advance both