1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has invited to the Republic of Korea United Nations Disarmament Fellows -- 25 diplomats from 25 countries working at the disarmament-related diplomatic front. During their visit to the ROK on September 28 and 29, the Fellows will attend a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and visit the truce village of Panmunjom and the War Memorial of Korea.

° The group of UN Disarmament Fellows -- junior diplomats aged 26-35 -- was first created in 1978 pursuant to the UN General Assembly Resolution (S-10/2) and has since been formed on an annual basis to enhance the expertise of UN member states in the field of disarmament. Over about two months, the group visits relevant international organizations, including the UN and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as well as some of the UN member states at their invitation.

2. During their forthcoming visit to the ROK, the third of its kind since the one in 2016, the Fellows -- diplomats from around the world, 5 diplomats from Europe, 5 from the Americas, 8 from the Asia-Pacific region and 7 from Africa and the Middle East, -- will hold a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visit Panmunjom and the War Memorial of Korea, and attend a luncheon with working-level officials. As such, the visit is expected to serve as an opportunity to enhance their understanding of the ROK’s policies toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and on non-proliferation, and to see for themselves the security situation on the Korean Peninsula.

3. Going forward, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to conduct the invitation program for UN Disarmament Fellows in a bid to step up disarmament cooperation with the UN and the Fellows’ home countries at various levels and in the long term.

* unofficial translation