1. The Foreign Ministry’s Director-General for European Affairs Park Chul-min and his counterpart at the Asia-Pacific Department of the Polish Foreign Ministry Michal Kolodziejski held a Republic of Korea-Poland policy consultation at the ROK Foreign Ministry on February 23. In the meeting, the two sides reviewed the progress in the implementation of the 2014-2016 action plan for the ROK-Poland strategic partnership and discussed in depth ways to step up the ROK-Visegrad Group (V4) cooperation as well as ways for the ROK and Poland to coordinate on North Korean issues.

2. The two directors-general discussed the overall progress in the implementation of the 2014-2016 action plan for the ROK-Poland strategic partnership, which was adopted in December 2014 on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the ROK-Poland diplomatic relations after the two countries forged their bilateral strategic partnership in October 2013. In particular, the two sides noted with appreciation that the two countries have been seeing robust exchanges and cooperation in various fields, including cooperation on political affairs through high-level exchanges; in the sectors of infrastructure, science, technology and innovation; cooperation on national defense and defense industry; cultural and people-to-people exchanges; cooperation on the multilateral stage, including the UN.

° In particular, the two directors-general agreed to further increase substantive cooperation, such as on science, technology and innovation, by activating various consultative mechanisms, including their joint committees on economy and on science and technology. They also agreed to promote people-to-people exchanges to the maximum possible extent by seeking progress in discussions on an agreement on the working holiday program, on the revision of their Agreement for Air Services and on a cultural exchange program.

3. The two directors-general noted with appreciation that the ROK-V4 cooperative regime was upgraded to the highest level within just one year since its launch, which took place during the first ROK-V4 summit meeting in Prague on December 3, 2015. The ROK and Poland agreed to increase multilayered cooperation for a stronger ROK-V4 cooperation.

° Director-General Park asked Poland to play an active role in enhancing the ROK-V4 cooperative ties during its service as the chair country of the V4 from July 2016 through June 2017. Kolodziejski mentioned that Poland will make efforts to evolve the ROK-V4 relationship into a more mature one, including by holding an ROK-V4 foreign ministerial meeting, during Poland’s service as the V4 chair.

° The two sides also agreed to work together to conclude a memorandum of understanding for ROK-V4 joint research, which is currently being sought, and to make smooth progress in diverse cooperation projects, including the knowledge-sharing project (KST) and the cultural exchange camps for younger generations of the ROK and the V4.

4. Director-General Park explained the ROK government’s position on North Korea’s repeated provocations, including its recent fourth nuclear test and launch of a long-range missile, as well as the progress in the discussions on a UN Security Council sanctions resolution and the efforts of individual countries of the international community to bilaterally sanction North Korea. He asked Poland -- which had experienced a successful regime transition and is a member country of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) and a member country of the ROK Foreign Ministry’s Peace Club, a group of countries that have permanent diplomatic missions in both the ROK and North Korea, -- to join efforts of the Security Council and the EU to adopt and implement tough sanctions on North Korea as well as consistent and resolute efforts of the international community to sanction North Korea.

° Director Kolodziejski, agreeing on the need for the international community’s efforts to pressure North Korea, expressed support for stern responses at various levels.

5. The ROK-Poland policy consultation on February 23 is seen to have served as an opportunity to review the details regarding the implementation of specific cooperation projects aimed at making the bilateral strategic partnership fruitful. It was also an opportunity to reaffirm the two countries’ commitment to cooperation on North Korean and other international issues.


* unofficial translation