1. The 17^th Republic of Korea-Russian Federation consular meeting took place in Moscow, Russia, on November 29, co-chaired by Deputy Director-General for Overseas Korean Nationals Protection of the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kwon Won-jik and Deputy Director of the Consular Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nail Latypov.

※ The ROK-Russia consular meeting is held between the deputy directors-general for consular affairs of the two countries’ Foreign Ministries in the two countries on an annual and rotational basis.

2. The two sides shared the view that the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Government of the Russian Federation on the Mutual Abolition of Visa Requirements for ordinary passport holders in force since 2014 is contributing to the increase in people-to-people exchanges between the two countries as well as to efforts to streamline immigration processes; and took note of the steady annual growth of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

° The two sides also discussed issues that  arose in the process of implementing the aforementioned Agreement and agreed to work together, including in reducing the number of illegal aliens.

3. The ROK delegation shared with the Russian side challenges posed by the recently amended Russian immigration law regulating the registration of foreign citizens as well as those that Korean residents in Russia could face in reentering Russia. The two sides agreed to continue consulting with each other on this issue through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other relevant government agencies of Russia, as well as the ROK Embassy in Russia.

4. The Russian delegation informed the ROK side of challenges Russian residents in the ROK faced due to differences in the administrative systems of the two countries, such as their failure to submit such documents as family relation certificates required by the ROK government. The two sides agreed to review ways to improve the situation, mainly with regard to such specific cases. 

5. The two sides, noting that the 17^th consular meeting served as a useful opportunity to discuss ways to step up consular cooperation between the two countries, drew a common understanding that tangible progress in consular cooperation would lead to an increase in exchanges between people of the two countries and would pave the way for cooperation across the board, including political and social affairs, economy and culture.

6. The two sides agreed to hold the next consular meeting in the ROK at an appropriate time in 2019.

* unofficial translation