1. On the occasion of the 2019 round of the Davos Forum (World Economic Forum, WEF), Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha attended as a discussant “The Geopolitical Outlook” session, an open session moderated by WEF President Brende, on January 23.

2. Among the other discussants of the session, held in the form of debate on the global situation and issues, were Foreign Minister of Japan Taro Kono, Foreign Minister of Canada Chrystia Freeland, Finance Minister of the Republic of Singapore Heng Swee Keat and Director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School David Gergen. In the meeting, Minister Kang shared with the other participants the Republic of Korea government’s vision and policy for the establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula.

° Minister Kang pointed out that the geopolitical potential of the Korean Peninsula, situated between the Pacific and Eurasia, the world’s largest ocean and continent, respectively, was limited by its division; and articulated the new economic initiative for the Korean Peninsula pursued by the ROK government in a bid to overcome this limit.

° She went on to voice hope that the second summit between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Chairman Kim Jong-un’s reciprocal visit to the ROK in 2019, when realized in the wake of the three inter-Korean summits and the historic US-DPRK summit in 2018, would produce tangible progress toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

° Minister Kang also underscored the ROK government’s commitment to maintaining the momentum of dialogue on the basis of the ironclad ROK-US alliance, close coordination with neighboring countries and the unified commitment of the international community to a complete denuclearization.

3. Later in the day, Minister Kang hosted a dinner under the theme of “Peace and Prosperity on the Korean Peninsula” for some 50 people, including Korean entrepreneurs, delegates from international organizations, and journalists. At the event, the Minister explained the ROK government’s foreign policy aimed at peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and the ROK government’s role in efforts to foster an innovation-friendly international economic environment.

° Among the event participants were President of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Shin Sung-chul, Chair of Maekyung Media Group Chang Dae-whan, SK Group Chair Chey Tae-won, KT CEO Hwang Chang-gyu, and other Korean entrepreneurs; and such delegates from international organizations as Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva Michael Møller and Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) David Beasley. The dinner event is seen to have served as an opportunity for Korean businesses operating abroad to exchange views and engage in networking with international organizations.

* unofficial translation