The South Korean government is set to attend the inaugural meeting of the Gaza Peace Committee in Washington D.C. as an observer under the leadership of U.S. President Donald Trump. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that former ambassador to Egypt, Kim Yong-hyun, will represent South Korea at the meeting scheduled for the 19th. The country's role is limited, as observers do not have speaking rights at the conference, where the main aim is to discuss reconstructing peace in the Gaza Strip.

The invitation to participate was extended earlier this month by the Trump administration, which had previously sent out invitations to around 60 countries, including South Korea, for accession to the Gaza Peace Committee. The South Korean government decided to attend as an observer to support peace in Gaza. Ambassador Kim, who has experience dealing with Palestinian issues during his tenure in Egypt from 2023 to 2025, has been selected due to his expertise in the relevant discussions.

South Korea is currently reviewing the possibility of joining the Gaza Peace Committee, evaluating aspects like international law and the dynamics of the international community. Despite concerns regarding delicate issues such as tariff negotiations and international controversies, the government has chosen a path of participation in this U.S.-led initiative. Other countries, including Japan and four EU member states, are also expected to join as observers, while the Vatican plans to abstain from participation due to apprehensions about the structure of the initiative being separate from the UN.