1. In accordance with the agreement reached at the summit talks between the Republic of Korea and Canada in Seoul in March, the two countries will launch their Deputy-Ministerial-Level Strategic Dialogue mechanism and hold its inaugural meeting at the former’s Foreign Ministry on July 4.

º The ROK delegation to the meeting will be led by Lee Kyung-soo, Deputy Minister for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and include relevant officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The Canadian side will be headed by Susan Gregson, Assistant Deputy Minister, Asia, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, and consist of officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development and the Embassy in the ROK.

2. At their upcoming Strategic Dialogue, the ROK and Canada, as natural partners with shared values and mutually complementary economic structures, will exchange views on issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, the region and the world, and review the progress made in the bilateral FTA since its conclusion. In particular, they will follow up on the bilateral summit talks held in March by discussing ways to promote substantive cooperation in various fields, including energy and resources as well as the research on and development of the Arctic.

3. The Strategic Dialogue will take place at a time when the two countries have just ushered in a new five decades of ties this year after having established their diplomatic relations in 1963. As such, it is expected to serve as a significant momentum toward stronger cooperation between the two countries. 


                Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation