1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), will hold the Inter-Regional Conference on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism in Seoul (Chosun Hotel) from April 19 to 20.

※ The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is an organization for security cooperation between European and Atlantic countries based on the comprehensive security concept which takes into account political and military security, economic and environmental security, and human security in a comprehensive manner (57 member states).

- The Republic of Korea has participated in the OSCE as an Asian Partner for Co-operation since 1994.

o The upcoming conference will cover a range of topics concerning violent extremism, including challenges and solutions; top priorities for devising national strategies; strengthening the capacity of youth; and ways to respond to terrorists’ activities to spread propaganda online. It will be attended by about 150 people, including government officials from European and Asian countries, and academics from home and abroad.

※ Key speakers at the conference include Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mongolia Batmunkh Battsetseg; Assistant Secretary of Australia’s Countering Violent Extremism Centre Samuel Grunhard; Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats at the OSCE Rasa Ostrauskaite; Michi Ebata, handling promotion in external relations at the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT); and Facebook's Asia-Pacific and South Asia head of counterterrorism policy Gullnaz Baig.

2. The forthcoming conference, which marks the first between the OSCE and Asia in the area of counter-terrorism, is expected to serve as an opportunity to share experiences of preventing and countering violent extremism, being discussed actively in the international community, and to establish networks among relevant experts in the public and private sectors.

o Furthermore, as the OSCE is playing a leading role in facilitating dialogues and exchanges in Europe to prevent and counter violent extremism, the ROK government, by hosting the conference, will actively play a bridging role to deepen counterterrorism cooperation between the OSCE and Asia.

3. In his opening address on April 19, Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will talk about the need for cooperation between Europe and Asia to respond to the transnational threat of violent extremism, and especially stress the importance of building the capacity of the youth.

o He will also explain the ROK government’s efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism, including preparing a national action plan in January 2018 in accordance with the UN General Assembly resolution adopted in July 2016, as well as carrying out cooperation projects with the OSCE, the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), and the UN Counterterrorism Executive Directorate (UNCTED).

* unofficial translation