The nominee for South Korea's new foreign minister, Cho Tae-yul (pictured), announced on Monday his plans to nourish close relations between his country and the United States and Japan as concerns regarding North Korea's nuclear program persist.
Speaking at a confirmation hearing before the National Assembly, Cho voiced his opinion that "[d]enuclearization and strengthening nuclear deterrence have become urgent security tasks as North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities have reached a level that threatens our lives."
Cho also stressed his intention of strengthening Seoul's "trust" in China.
