1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Unification, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, held a joint policy briefing session for the year 2018 in the presence of Prime Minster Lee Nak-yon in the Seoul Government Complex on January 19. The theme of the briefing was “the diplomatic and security situation and ways to improve the inter-Korean relations.”

2. The five Ministries reported on their main work plans for the year 2018 designed to manage diplomatic and security issues in a stable manner and achieve tangible progress in policy tasks. 

° The Foreign Ministry plans to boost cooperative diplomacy with four neighboring countries, seek diplomatic diversification and achieve reforms, thereby serving national interests to the extent possible based on public understanding and support.

- The Foreign Ministry, while seeking wise solutions to diplomatic issues with the four neighboring countries, including the North Korean nuclear program, those concerning the KORUS (Republic of Korea-United States) FTA, and historical matters, will step up cooperation with them by building on achievements in summit diplomacy.

- The Foreign Ministry, by implementing the new Southern and Northern Policies, will seek to diversify the scope of diplomacy to include a wider range of regions; and continue its efforts to innovate itself and be reborn as a “trusted, competent and transparent Foreign Ministry.”

3. The ROK government, through interagency cooperation and close coordination with the international community, will make the inter-Korean dialogue held ahead of the PyeongChang Olympics an opportunity to expedite the establishment of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, while faithfully implementing the work plans for the year 2018, which were briefed on to Prime Minister Lee.

* unofficial translation