1. On July 26, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha held a meeting and a dinner with Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi of Indonesia, who was on a visit to the Republic of Korea on July 26 and 27 in her capacity as special envoy of President Joko Widodo of Indonesia. In the meeting and over the dinner, the two top diplomats exchanged views on the ROK’s forthcoming participation in the Asian Games Jakarta-Palembang 2018; ways to enhance ROK-Indonesia relations and ROK-ASEAN cooperation; and situations on the Korean Peninsula and in other parts of the world.

2. Minister Retno mentioned that the purpose of her visit to the ROK was to deliver in person Indonesian President Jokowi’s letter of invitation to the ROK President to the opening ceremony of the Asian Games Jakarta-Palembang 2018 on August 18. She added that the upcoming participation of an ROK-North Korea joint team in the Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 to September 2 would help to heighten the significance of the event.

※ At the beginning of the meeting, Minister Retno presented a mascot of the Asian Games 2018 to Minister Kang as a gift.

° Minister Kang, expressing wish for the success of the Asian Games 2018, voiced hope that just as the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics had brought spring to the Korean Peninsula, the forthcoming event would mark a celebration of peace facilitated by international sport games.

3. Minister Kang expressed hope that the two countries, having upgraded their relations to “special strategic partnership” during President Moon Jae-in’s state visit to Indonesia in November 2017, would see tangible progress in the partnership. On that note, she asked the Indonesian government to cooperate on the ROK’s efforts to implement its New Southern Policy designed to further tighten its relations with Indonesia and the other ASEAN member states.

° Minister Retno responded that Indonesia would work with the ROK toward tangible progress in the “special strategic partnership,” hailing the ROK’s New Southern Policy and expressing commitment to robust cooperation thereon.

4. Minister Kang extended appreciation to President Jokowi for inviting to his presidential palace the ROK and North Korean Ambassadors to Indonesia in April to congratulate them on the success of the inter-Korean summit talks; as well as to the Indonesian government for its strong support for the ROK government’s efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula. In response, the Indonesian side spoke of its plan to remain highly supportive of the ROK government’s work to build peace on the Korean Peninsula.

* unofficial translation