1. On September 19, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun met with an eleven-member delegation from the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, led by Vice-Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Transatlantic Relations of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Ahmet Berat Conkar, which is on a visit to the Republic of Korea, and discussed the situation on the Korean Peninsula; developments at NATO; and cooperation between the ROK and NATO.

※ The delegation is on a visit to the ROK from September 17 till 20 at the official invitation of the ROK’s National Assembly.

2. Regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula, Vice Minister Cho expressed expectations on the results of the third inter-Korean summit, being held today, and talked about the efforts the ROK government had exerted all along to achieve complete denuclearization, and to establish a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. Vice Minister Cho expressed appreciation for NATO’s interest and support, and asked for its continued cooperation.

3. Furthermore, the two sides engaged in an extensive exchange of views on the latest developments at NATO, including the issue of fair defense cost-sharing among NATO member states, and the expansion of NATO membership, with a focus on the results of the NATO Summit in July this year. They also agreed on the need to step up cooperation between the ROK and NATO not only on issues on the Korean Peninsula, but also in the response to global security threats, including counter-terrorism and maritime security.

4. The delegation from the NATO Parliamentary Assembly said that their meeting with Vice Minister Cho was an important opportunity to better understand the situation on the Korean Peninsula, and to become aware of the importance of the ROK-NATO partnership, and expressed appreciation for that.

5. The delegation’s visit to the ROK, which came ahead of the 10th ROK-NATO policy consultation (director-general-level) to be held in Brussels in October this year, is expected to contribute to reaffirming the need to strengthen cooperation between the ROK and NATO, and earning NATO members’ understanding and support on the ROK government’s major foreign policies.

* unofficial translation