G7 requires support of democratic economic powers like S.Korea, Australia: FM

SEOUL: Seoul's top diplomat on Wednesday urged the need for democratic and advanced countries like South Korea and Australia to support and cooperate with the G7 economic powers.

Foreign Minister Park Jin made the remarks at a conference hosted by the NEAR Foundation, an independent think-tank specialising in Northeast Asia, calling on "advanced democratic countries" to play their roles so that the international society moves toward the path of freedom, democracy and other universal values.

"Since its launch, the Yoon Suk Yeol government has expanded its international role and responsibility as the world's eighth country in terms of its status and power on par with the advanced G7 countries," he said.

"The G7 requires the participation and support of countries like South Korea and Australia, which have faithfully accomplished democracy and developed into advanced economies," he added.

The G7 consists of the US, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, Yonhap news agency reported.

He also stressed that South Korea is in an ideal position as a "bridge" country between developed and developing nations across the world.

"South Korea is in the ideal position to play the role of a bridge between the Global North and the Global South, as well as the Global East and the Global West," he said.

At the conference, Richard Haass, president emeritus of the US Council on Foreign Relations, stressed the need for democratic countries to set rules that push back against "cyber interference" in their internal affairs, noting Taiwan's presidential election next month, South Korea's parliamentary election in April and Washington's presidential election in November next year.

"It is in our collective self-interest to figure out how it is we protect our democratic processes and push back against those -- Russia, leading among them, but also others, like North Korea and China -- who would interfere with them," he added.