1. On November 26, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lee Tae-ho met with Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Angel Gurría, who visited the Republic of Korea to attend the 6th OECD World Forum (November 27-29 in Songdo, Incheon)*, and discussed cooperation between the ROK and the OECD, and ways to increase policy cooperation with the OECD.

* The 6th OECD World Forum, an event co-hosted by Statistics Korea and the OECD, will be held under the theme “The Future of Well-being” this year. (The ROK hosted the 3rd Forum in Busan in 2009.)

2. Vice Minister Lee said that the ROK and the OECD would be able to work together in a range of areas, as the ROK’s vision of an inclusive nation and New Southern Policy were consistent with the OECD’s key agendas, including the Inclusive Growth Initiative and the Southeast Asia Regional Program (SEARP)*.

* The OECD Southeast Asia Regional Program (SEARP) is one of regional cooperation programs launched by the OECD to increase cooperation with non-OECD countries. Japan and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam served as co-chairs of the program from 2014 until 2018. The ROK and the Kingdom of Thailand are serving as its co-chairs for the term 2018-2021.

3. Secretary-General Gurría said that the global economy was growing at a slower pace due to the rising protectionism and trade conflicts, and expected the ROK and the OECD to continue collaboration and cooperation on free trade.

4. Vice Minister Lee’s meeting with the OECD Secretary-General served as an opportunity to reaffirm the two sides’ commitment to strengthen mutually-beneficial cooperation between the ROK and the OECD.

* unofficial translation