1. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun held the 4th meeting of the Republic of Korea-Kingdom of Cambodia Joint Commission with Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia Eat Sophea in Seoul on December 13. The two sides discussed ways to strengthen the ROK-Cambodia relations through the implementation of the New Southern Policy; ways to advance the ROK-ASEAN relations, including the 2019 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit; and ways to increase cooperation to promote peace in the region, including cooperation on issues on the Korean Peninsula.

2. The Vice Minister and the Secretary of State spoke highly of the close cooperative relations that the two countries had developed in a range of areas, including politics, trade, investment, development cooperation, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges, over the past 20-odd years since the re-establishment of diplomatic relations in 1997. They agreed to pursue close cooperation between the governments of the two countries to further advance the bilateral relations in a future-oriented manner, and thereby realize a “people-centered community of peace and prosperity,” which the New Southern Policy aims to build, between the two countries.

o In particular, Vice Minister Cho said that to establish institutional bases for further increasing investments and cooperation between the two countries, it was necessary to faithfully implement the ROK-ASEAN FTA, and to swiftly conclude a double taxation avoidance agreement, which the two countries are holding discussions to conclude. Secretary of State Sophea said that Korean companies in Cambodia were contributing significantly to the economic development of the two countries, and that the Cambodian government would make active efforts to expand trade and investments between the two countries.

o Secretary of State Sophea took note that the ROK had continuously contributed to Cambodia’s economic and social development through various development aid projects, and hoped that the two countries would further step up cooperation in the area of development cooperation. The ROK side said that it would exert efforts to further expand development cooperation between the two countries in line with the ROK government’s New Southern Policy.

3. Vice Minister Cho spoke highly of the constructive role that Cambodia, as country coordinator for ROK-ASEAN dialogue relations, had played to advance the ROK-ASEAN relations for the last 3 years until August this year, and asked Cambodia to continue to exert efforts to enhance the ROK-ASEAN relations, including successfully hosting the 2019 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit.

o In addition, the Vice Minister and the Secretary of State noted that the governments of the two countries agreed to work together to elevate the foreign ministerial-level ROK-Mekong cooperative mechanism to the summit level. They also agreed to continue to closely cooperate to successfully hold the 1st Mekong-ROK Summit, to be held on the occasion of the 2019 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit.

4. Vice Minister Cho explained the latest developments in the progress in the situation on the Korean Peninsula, including improvement of inter-Korean relations and developments in follow-up negotiations between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the United States. He also expressed appreciation for the Cambodian government’s support for the ROK government’s efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and to establish peace on the Peninsula, and asked for continued support.

o Secretary of State Sophea spoke highly of the ROK government’s efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and to establish peace on the Peninsula, and said that Cambodia would continue to actively work together with the ROK.

* unofficial translation