강경화 장관 "獨, 한국 G7회의 초청받은 것 환영...멤버십 확대는 별개의 문제"<br /><br />South Korea's foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha has returned from her first overseas visit in almost six months.<br />She had been in Berlin where she met her German counterpart Heiko Maas .<br />There, the German minister said Berlin welcomes South Korea's participation in this year's G7 Summit,... although he remained cautious on the issue of expanding the G7.<br />Our foreign affairs correspondent Yoon Jung-min reports.<br />On her way back home from Berlin, South Korea's foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha said South Korea will contribute as much it can to the international community, including in the fight against COVID-19.<br />This comes as German foreign minister Heiko Maas said during a joint press conference with Kang in Berlin on Monday,... that Germany welcomes South Korea joining the upcoming G7 summit,... calling the country "important" in the global community.<br />On the idea of expanding G7, however, the German minister said it should be discussed with other members of the group.<br />"Germany welcomes South Korea participating in the upcoming G7 summit. But expanding the membership is a different story. Minister Maas explained that there should be a lot of talks and studies with other members on the issue."<br />Maas also made it clear that Germany is against expanding the group if it involves letting Russia back in.<br />Russia was kicked out of G8 in 2014 after it annexed Crimea.<br />U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier pitched the idea of expanding the group to a G11 or G12,... including South Korea and Russia.<br />President Trump said on Monday that he is likely to postpone the G7 meeting and host it after the presidential election in November.<br />When asked about the issue, Minister Kang said South Korea has not received any official notification from Washington.<br />During the bilateral meeting, Kang also asked for Germany's support for South Korea's trade minister Yoo Myung-hee, who is running for the director-general post at the World Trade Organization.<br />The two ministers have agreed to hold their next round of talks in Seoul.<br />Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.<br />
