1. Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Lee Do-hoon met with China’s Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Special Representative on Korean Peninsula Affairs Kong Xuanyou in Seoul on January 5 for a meeting of the ROK and Chinese top negotiators at the Six-Party Talks, and engaged in in-depth discussions on the situation on the Korean Peninsula, including North Korea and its nuclear issue.

2. The ROK and Chinese sides shared the view that their meeting today was timely as efforts to hold inter-Korean talks are underway, and agreed to continue to further strengthen communications between the two countries based on their common understanding on the way forward to solve the North Korean nuclear problem, which was affirmed in the ROK-China summit meeting in December last year.

3. The two sides also shared the view that if high-level inter-Korean talks and North Korea’s participation in the PyeongChang Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games go smoothly, they will contribute to easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and change the situation for the better. They agreed to work together on that.

o Special Representative Kong reaffirmed the Chinese government’s position that it welcomes and supports inter-Korean talks and efforts to improve inter-Korean relations, and hoped that inter-Korean talks would lead to successful results.

4. The two sides shared the view that improving inter-Korean relations will contribute to creating conditions for the resumption of denuclearization talks, and agreed to cooperate in exerting diplomatic efforts to solve the North Korean nuclear problem peacefully, while at the same time thoroughly implementing Security Council resolutions.

* unofficial translation