1. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lee Tae-ho will visit the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi) from October 30 to November 1 to chair a meeting of heads of the Republic of Korea’s diplomatic missions in the Middle East, to deliver a keynote address at the ROK-Middle East cooperation forum, and to meet bilaterally with the UAE’s government officials.

o In the meeting of heads of the ROK’s diplomatic missions in the Middle East, 21 mission heads in the Middle East will assess the progress in their work this year, devise a work plan for 2019, and discuss the situation in the Middle East, as well as proposals. The meeting will be held in conjunction with the 15th ROK-Middle East cooperation forum this year.

o The ROK-Middle East cooperation forum, sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and co-hosted by the Korea-Arab Society (KAS), the Jeju Peace Institute (JPI), and the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), is a 1.5-track meeting that takes place every year. At the upcoming forum, participants will discuss in depth ways to increase economic cooperation between the ROK and the Middle East in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

2. On October 31, Vice Foreign Minister Lee will meet bilaterally with Minister of Energy Suhail Mohammed Faraj Al Mazroui, and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash.

* unofficial translation