1. The Foreign Ministry will hold from June 18 till 23 the first round of its 2018 invitation program for public security officials of foreign countries with the aim to pave the way for robust cooperation with governments of those countries in handling incidents, accidents and disasters involving Koreans therein. For the forthcoming round, a combined nine public security and disaster-related officials of Japan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Nepal, Australia, the US, Mexico and Peru have been invited.

° Amid the number of overseas Koreans growing, -- 26 mln Korean travelers and another 2.5 mln Korean residents abroad in 2017 -- those invited to the program mainly include public security and disaster-related officials of countries where Koreans are often subjected to incidents or accidents; which have been highly cooperative in the protection of local Koreans; and which the Republic of Korea needs to work with in the field.

2. In the ROK, the foreign officials will be briefed on the Foreign Ministry’s system for the protection of the overseas Koreans, tour various relevant facilities, and take part in diverse other programs. By doing so, they will learn more about the ROK’s politics, economy and culture, and build networks with Korean government officials.

° Included in the foreign guests’ schedule in the ROK will be a visit to the Consular Call Center to see for themselves the ROK government’s system for the protection of the overseas Koreans; a visit to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency; and a tour of historical, security, industrial and cultural sites.

3. The upcoming invitation program for public security officials of foreign countries, the eighth of its kind since the first held in 2015, is expected to help the foreign participants develop a more positive view on the ROK and help reinforce foundations of cooperation between the ROK’s overseas diplomatic missions and public security and disaster-related agencies of their host countries, thereby contributing to the ROK government’s efforts to build the capacity to better protect the overseas Koreans.

* unofficial translation