1. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, who is on a visit to Munich to attend the 52nd Munich Security Conference, met with High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini of the EU on February 13 and discussed in depth ways to toughen comprehensive sanctions and pressure on North Korea.

2. With regard to North Korea’s fourth nuclear test and sixth launch of a long-range missile, the two sides shared the view that the UN Security Council, under its resolution, and the EU, unilaterally, should impose unprecedentedly strong and effective sanctions on North Korea. The two sides agreed to work closely together to this end.

° Minister Yun mentioned that he had visited the UN on February 9 and 10, where he had held meaningful meetings with the Ambassadors from all the fifteen member states of the UN Security Council in order to encourage the Security Council’s adoption of a strong sanctions resolution. In particular, he voiced hope that the EU, whose member states comprise the majority of the UN Security Council member states (the UK, France and Spain), will play an active role for an early adoption of a terminating resolution that will hurt North Korea to the extent that it will never conceive of launching another provocation.

° High Representative Mogherini, expressing willingness to take an active part in the international community’s efforts to pressure North Korea, stated that the EU will cooperate for the adoption of a Security Council resolution and mull over ways to further toughen the EU’s existing sanctions on North Korea.

3. High Representative Mogherini displayed interest in the Republic of Korea government’s full suspension of the operations of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex. Minister Yun stressed that amid the grave situation created by the series of provocations from North Korea, the ROK government had seen the need to take special measures for active coordination with the international community and thereby made the difficult decision.

° In response, High Representative Mogherini mentioned that she adequately understood the ROK government’s stern measures toward North Korea, including the full suspension of the operations of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex.

4. The two sides noted with appreciation that the ROK and the EU have been seeing their strategic partnership increasingly strengthen through robust high-level exchanges, including the bilateral summit talks in Seoul in September 2015. They agreed to further deepen and advance the bilateral cooperative ties through high-level exchanges and others in 2016.

° In particular, High Representative Mogherini voiced concern over the prolonged ratification process for the Framework Agreement for the Participation of Korea in EU Crisis Management Operations, which was signed in May 2014, at the ROK’s National Assembly, as well as hope for an early completion of the ratification process on the Korean side.

5. Minister Yun and High Representative Mogherini have held five bilateral meetings, including the one on February 13, 2016, since the latter took up her current post in November 2014, further advancing the ROK-EU strategic partnership.


* unofficial translation