1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang, Kyung-wha attended the 14th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Madrid, the Kingdom of Spain, on December 15-16.

2. Minister Kang delivered remarks at plenary Session I which was held on the topic of “Revitalizing the Multilateralism System - advancing the ASEM partnership on global issues.”  

° Minister Kang stressed that open multilateralism remains the only effective way forward to tackle such international challenges as climate change. She called for ASEM’s actions and solidarity to that end, adding that the Republic of Korea (ROK) will contribute actively to enhancing the power and the legitimacy of the rules-based multilateralism.

° In particular, Minister Kang explained the ROK government’s efforts and policies for responding to climate change, including its implementation of the Paris Agreement, and introduced its plan to host the 2^nd Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit in Korea in June 2020. On that note, she asked for interest and support for the success of the Summit.

° Minister Kang also mentioned that the ROK government is taking an active part in the international community’s discussions on and efforts for promoting women’s role in the areas of gender equality, peace and security. She stressed that the ROK will continue to contribute in the fields of women, peace and security, including by holding the 2021 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial.

3. In her remarks at the Retreat Session on regional and global issues, Minister Kang introduced the ROK government’s policies and efforts toward complete denuclearization and the establishment of permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, and asked for ASEM’s support in this regard.

° In particular, Minister Kang explained that, in line with the three principles of no war, mutual security guarantees, and co-prosperity which were reaffirmed by President Moon in his address at the UN General Assembly session in September, the ROK government is making endeavors to establish permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, stressing that dialogue and cooperation is the only possible way forward to that end.

° Minister Kang mentioned that the ROK government is working and will work closely with the U.S. and all the other concerned countries as well as the international community to keep North Korea on the track of dialogue. She asked for ASEM’s continued cooperation and support on the efforts of the ROK government to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula.

4. Minister Kang’s attendance at the ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is seen to have served as an opportunity to reaffirm ASEM’s solidarity in safeguarding multilateralism and the rules-based international order and to express the ROK government’s commitment to contribution in that regard, as well as to confirm support for the ROK government’s efforts toward complete denuclearization and the establishment of permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula.