1. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se presided over the “2016 meeting of the heads of the Republic of Korea’s diplomatic missions in Europe” in Rome on July 30. In the meeting, the Minister, together with the other ranking diplomats, comprehensively reviewed the achievements in the ROK’s diplomacy in Europe since the launch of the Park Geun-hye government and future diplomatic tasks. They also discussed in depth ways to step up diplomacy in Europe in line with the government’s policy objectives and diplomatic strategies.

° The meeting, which brought together 34 mission chiefs to European countries, focused on ways to cope with the UK decision to withdraw from the EU (Brexit); to work more closely with European countries for a thorough enforcement of sanctions against North Korea; to brace for terrorism and to better protect overseas Koreans.

2. In his opening remarks, Minister Yun noted with appreciation that the ROK’s diplomacy toward Europe is moving more robustly forward than ever before since the launch of the Park Geun-hye government, as can be seen from President Park’s six tours of European countries and 51 bilateral summit meetings as well as 70 foreign ministerial meetings with European countries, which is contributing to the development of the ROK’s relations with Europe, including the EU, into a quasi-alliance. He asked the mission chiefs to make best efforts at the forefront to further consolidate the ROK’s cooperative ties with Europe, one of the ROK’s core partners for a stable promotion of mid- to long-term national interests amid the current, grave international situation.

° In particular, the top diplomat asked the mission chiefs to put into full gear diplomacy to seek a solution to North Korea’s nuclear and missile issues and improvements in the human rights situation in the North. With regard to Brexit, he underscored the need to look closely into possible impact of Brexit across the board and draw up thorough response measures in close communication with the Foreign Ministry headquarters.

° With the annual number of Korean travelers overseas exceeding 19 million amid frequent terrorist attacks and accidents of late in Europe, the Minister asked the mission chiefs to stand fully ready to protect the ROK nationals in Europe without fail and with a sense of mission.

3. The mission chiefs shared with one another reactions and responses of European countries to Brexit; drew a common understanding that before Brexit is realized, the ROK needs to closely analyze its possible mid- to long-term impact on the global economy and order and to draw up thorough measures to brace for uncertainties that could arise; and agreed to actively implement diplomatic activities to protect the ROK’s national interests across the board, including political and foreign affairs, economy and security.

4. The mission chiefs called European countries, which share with the ROK universal values, a core partner for efforts to resolve North Korea’s nuclear, missile and human rights issues, including those concerning North Korean laborers overseas. They agreed to work more closely with European countries for a thorough enforcement of sanctions against North Korea, including those under UN Security Council Resolution 2270 and the EU’s unilateral ones.

° They also agreed to learn more about Germany’s unification experience and Eastern European countries’ experiences of regime transitions and to make other efforts to boost unification diplomacy to win strong support from European countries for a peace unification of the Korean Peninsula.

5. Amid frequent terrorist attacks and various accidents in Europe, the mission chiefs agreed to actively identify terrorism-generating risk factors and to set up thorough measures befitting situations in European countries, with their priority on the protection of overseas Koreans.

° In particular, they agreed to put their missions on stand-by; set up contact networks with the Koreans in their host countries; and step up relevant cooperation with their host countries in efforts to maintain their emergency readiness posture at all times.

6. The meeting of the mission chiefs served as a timely opportunity for the ROK’s diplomatic leaders in Europe to review the achievements in the ROK’s diplomacy in Europe over the past three and a half years since the launch of the Park Geun-hye government and seek future strategies; and to deliberate on what measures the ROK should take under the circumstance where Europe is facing Brexit, terrorism and other multi-level challenges.


* unofficial translation