(LEAD) FM Park advocates 'rules-based multilateralism' at G-20 meeting

All News 19:37 July 08, 2022

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, dateline; UPDATES throughout with latest details; ADDS photos)

BALI/SEOUL, July 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top diplomat called for efforts to strengthen "rules-based multilateralism" and ensure resumption of food exports from Ukraine during a Group of 20 meeting in Indonesia on Friday, his office said.

Foreign Minister Park Jin underscored the importance of reinvigorating multilateral cooperation during the G-20 foreign ministerial meeting, which was largely overshadowed by geopolitical division over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin speaks during a session of the Group of 20 foreign ministers' meeting held in the Indonesian island of Bali on July 8, 2022, in this photo provided by his office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

On his debut on the multilateral diplomatic stage since taking office in May, Park shared South Korea's vision to play a greater role, as the world's 10th largest economy, for global freedom, peace and prosperity, his ministry said in a statement.

He also noted the global food and energy crises were exacerbated by the Ukraine conflict and called for the G-20 members to cooperate to ensure Ukraine can resume agricultural exports, it added.

On the sidelines of the two-day conference, Park held back-to-back bilateral talks with his counterparts from China, Spain, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Australia and the European Union to discuss regional and global issues.

Later Friday, Park had his first trilateral session with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa, in another show of the regional powers' efforts to bolster their cooperation amid North Korea's saber-rattling.