1. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, who is attending the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly, met with her Kazakh counterpart Abdrakhmanov K. Kudaibergenovich, and discussed ways to respond to North Korea’s sixth nuclear test, as well as ways to enhance friendship and cooperation between the ROK and Kazakhstan.

2. Minister Kang took note that as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Kazakhstan cooperated in adopting the new Resolution 2375 containing sanctions against North Korea. She also asked Kazakhstan, which voluntarily gave up its nuclear program, to continue to closely work together in implementing the new Security Council resolution, and in pressuring North Korea to stop provocations and return to the dialogue table.

3. Minister Abdrakhmanov stressed that his country strongly condemns North Korea’s sixth nuclear test, and will continue to faithfully implement Security Council resolutions on North Korea, saying that his country fully agrees on the importance of increasing sanctions and pressure on North Korea under the current circumstances.

4. Minister Kang noted that Kazakhstan is the ROK’s key cooperation partner in Central Asia, and that the relations between the two countries have been continuously developing, including through the establishment of the strategic partnership in 2009.

o The two Ministers expressed satisfaction over the close cooperation underway between the two countries, citing that the ROK was the largest exhibitor among all participating countries at the Astana Expo, which had been held successfully until September 10 this year. The two sides agreed to continue to work together to ensure a smooth implementation of economic cooperation projects between the two countries in the infrastructure, resources and energy sectors.

5. The meeting between the two Ministers served as an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation on North Korea, including cooperation at the Security Council, with Kazakhstan, which is serving as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2017-2018 term, as well as to provide momentum to major economic cooperation projects between the two countries.


* unofficial translation