1. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha held a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland of Canada on August 17 at the latter’s request. Over the phone, the two top diplomats exchanged views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the release of pastor Lim Hyeon-soo.

2. With regard to the release of the pastor, Minister Freeland spoke in detail about the outcome of the visit to North Korea by a Canadian delegation, including the national security adviser to the Prime Minister. Minister Kang, expressing pleasure over the pastor’s safe return home, mentioned that on the heels of the announcement by the Canadian government on his release, the Republic of Korea government had issued a commentary to welcome the release.

° In particular, Minister Kang, bringing attention to the fact that the ROK government, on its part, is making utmost efforts for an early repatriation of the Korean nationals detained in North Korea, stressed that Canada and the rest of the international community should in unison urge the North Korean government to return all the detainees home to their families. Minister Freeland stated that Canada always stands ready to do what it can in that respect.

3. The two Ministers drew a common understanding that while putting pressure and enforcing sanctions on North Korea in a bid to induce the North to abandon its nuclear ambitions and refrain from launching any further provocations, the international community should double efforts to seek a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear issue.

° Minister Freeland reaffirmed Canada’s unwavering support for the position of the ROK government.

4. In their telephone conversation, which came merely eleven days after their meeting on August 6 on the sidelines of the ASEAN-related foreign ministerial meetings 2017, the ROK and Canadian Foreign Ministers agreed to seek close coordination on various occasions and through diverse channels.


* unofficial translation