1. On the occasion of the Munich Security Conference 2019, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha met bilaterally with Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov at 16:30-17:00, February 15, for an exchange of views on the Republic of Korea-Russian Federation relations and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

2. The two Ministers noted with appreciation that the two countries were seeing their relations advance further through robust high-level exchanges, including the four rounds of bilateral summit talks over the past one and half years; and expressed satisfaction with steady increases in trade and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

° In a bid to take the bilateral ties to the next level in 2020, the year marking the 30^th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the two Ministers declared the year 2020 “a year of ROK-Russia mutual exchanges” and agreed to continue working together in forming “a preparatory committee for celebrations for the 30^th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2020.”

° The two top diplomats also agreed to pursue substantive cooperation more systematically pursuant to the recently signed action plan for “the nine bridges (the nine sectors of cooperation -- agriculture, fisheries, railways, seaports, shipbuilding, gas, electricity, Arctic shipping routes and industrial complexes)”; and to make a success of the second ROK-Russia forum for provincial cooperation and thereby bolster exchanges and cooperation between provincial government agencies of the two countries.

3. Minister Kang shared with her Russian counterpart the ROK government’s work to accomplish a complete denuclearization and establish a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. She added that the ROK government, in close communication with Russia and other relevant countries, would make utmost efforts for the success of the forthcoming second summit between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and for progress in the currently ongoing denuclearization negotiations. She asked for Russia’s continued cooperation in that regard.

° Minister Lavrov highly commended the progress in the situation on the Korean Peninsula; expressed strong support for the efforts to resolve Korean Peninsula issues through dialogue; and mentioned that Russia, on its part, would continue playing a constructive role in the work to achieve denuclearization and a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.

4. Minister Kang’s fourth meeting with her Russian counterpart since her inauguration and her first in 2019 is seen to carry significance as having served as an opportunity to step up ROK-Russia strategic communication for denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula at a very significant time ahead of the second US-DPRK summit as well as to reaffirm close cooperation with Russia, the ROK’s pivotal partner in implementing its New Northern Policy.

* unofficial translation