1. Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kang Jeong-sik hosted a reception for the diplomatic corps from MIKTA countries in the Republic of Korea at the Four Seasons Hotel on December 13.

o The event brought together about 40 people, including Ambassadors of the United Mexican States, the Republic of Indonesia, the Republic of Turkey, and the Commonwealth of Australia in the ROK, and officials from each diplomatic mission of MIKTA countries.

2. In his welcome remarks, Deputy Minister Kang took note that MIKTA has been institutionalized over a short period of time with 15 Foreign Ministers’ Meetings and 7 Senior Officers’ Meetings held since its launch in 2013. He also said that the ROK government will further strengthen cooperation with MIKTA member countries after taking over the chairmanship of MIKTA in February 2020 in order to make sure that MIKTA can play a more constructive role in dealing with global issues.

o Especially, as the international community is expected to engage in a more robust discussion on ways to strengthen multilateralism on the 75^th anniversary of the United Nations in 2020, Deputy Minister Kang expected that MIKTA would take this opportunity to express its vision for multilateralism and willingness to contribute to it.

3. The event, held ahead of the ROK’s assumption of the chairmanship in February next year, served as an opportunity to show the ROK government’s commitment to contribute to MIKTA’s mid- to long-term development and to request MIKTA countries’ support and cooperation.