1. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, for the first time for a Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea in thirteen years, visited Italy and held a meeting with Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni of Italy. In their meeting, the two top diplomats discussed in depth ways to step up substantive cooperation between the ROK and Italy; the North Korean nuclear issue and the situation on the Korean Peninsula; and major issues concerning such regions as Syria and Libya; refugees and other international issues; and ways to work together at the UN and on other international stages.

2. The two Ministers agreed to further deepen the ROK-Italy “partnership on creative economy,” which had been forged during President Park Geun-hye’s official visit to Italy in 2014 to mark the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations. To that end, they agreed to thoroughly implement the follow-up measures in efforts to make substantial progress in cooperation in various sectors, including economy, industries, science and culture.

° The two top diplomats, taking note of the increasing two-way trade overall despite the difficult global economic situation, agreed to seek a trade volume of 10 billion US dollars in 2016. To that end, they agreed to put to full use the mutually complementary industrial structures of the two countries and to boost trade and investment in a way that befits their economic sizes by holding more corporate exchanges and cooperation between the two countries, such as through business forums and economic delegations to each other’s countries.

° The two Ministers noted with appreciation that at Expo Milano 2015, the Korea Pavilion, whose main goal had been to promote Hansik (Korean food), had drawn more than 230,000 visitors and thereby contributed greatly to the success of the Expo. They agreed to further expand exchanges in such aspects of culture as language and food through the Korean Cultural Center scheduled to open in Rome in October 2016. They also agreed to seek an agreement on defense cooperation and a memorandum of understanding on defense industry in a bid to step up cooperation on national defense and relevant industry.

3. With regard to North Korean issues, the two Ministers reaffirmed that in order to make North Korea change its strategic calculus and to lead it onto the genuine path toward denuclearization, it is important for the international community to be united in thoroughly enforcing sanctions against North Korea, including those under UN Security Council Resolution 2270 and the EU’s unilateral ones. They agreed to work more closely to that end.

° Minister Yun extended appreciation to Italy for fully supporting the ROK’s position and rendering cooperation to the ROK every time North Korea engaged in a provocation, including by promptly issuing a statement of condemnation. He asked Italy, a main member state of the EU, chair country of the G7 in 2017 and non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2017, to cooperate for a thorough enforcement of sanctions against North Korea, including those under UN Security Council Resolution 2270 and the EU’s unilateral ones.

° Minister Gentiloni called North Korea’s nuclear and missile provocations as well as its advancing nuclear capability a grave, real threat to peace not only on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia but also in the world as a whole. He stated that in a bid to respond sternly to North Korean provocations, Italy will cooperate on the bilateral level and on the international stage, including the G7, the EU and the UN Security Council, for a thorough implementation of sanctions against North Korea, including those under UN Security Council Resolution 2270 and the EU’s unilateral ones.

° Minister Gentiloni commended the ROK government for implementing diplomacy in a balanced manner by maintaining good cooperative ties with its neighboring countries, including the US, Japan, China and Russia, while taking a firm stance against North Korea’s nuclear and missile issues, the ROK’s tough challenges. Expressing a keen interest in the future of the South China Sea issue, the Minister explained in detail difficult challenges facing the EU, including the recent UK decision to withdraw from the EU, refugees and terrorism, as well as the EU’s efforts to resolve them.

4. The two Ministers, taking note of close cooperation between the ROK and Italy on the international stage on major issues based on their similar positions on them, agreed to continue close cooperation as members of the “Uniting for Consensus,” a group of like-minded countries on the Security Council’s reform.

° The two top diplomats exchanged views on issues concerning the Mediterranean region and the Middle East, including immigration, refugees, Libya and Syria. They agreed to consult closely with each other on ways to expedite the resolution of these issues that are posing a threat beyond the Middle East to Europe and entire world.

5. Minister Yun’s visit to Italy is seen to have served as a timely opportunity to review the progress in the implementation of the follow-up measures after President Park Geun-hye’s official visit to Italy in 2014; and to step up substantive cooperation and coordination with Italy, the G7 chair and non-permanent member of the Security Council in 2017, on the nuclear, missile and human rights issues of North Korea.


* unofficial translation