1. Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Kang Jeong-sik of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attended the “Vice-Ministerial MIKTA Retreat” held in Mexico City on February 11.

o The meeting was the last one hosted by the United Mexican States, the current chair of MIKTA. Following the meeting, the Republic of Korea will serve as the chair of MIKTA until February next year.

2. Participants in the meeting exchanged constructive views on the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in other major regions, as well as ways to work together on the global stage.

o In the first session, Deputy Minister Kang explained the ROK government’s efforts in pursuing complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, and asked for the MIKTA members’ continued interest and support. Participants expressed support for the ROK government’s efforts.

o In the second session, participants discussed ways to step up cooperation in the multilateral, cultural and economic sectors, and agreed to deepen collaboration to strengthen the rules-based international order in the face of weakening multilateralism.

o In the last session, participants discussed ways to increase trade and investment among MIKTA countries, and shared the view that the MIKTA members, as middle-power countries significantly affected by the global trade environment, need to expand collaboration in order to strengthen the multilateral trading system.

o At the end of the meeting, participants adopted the Joint Communiqué, in which they reaffirmed MIKTA’s commitment to strengthening multilateralism and responding to global challenges, and welcomed the ROK government’s efforts to establish permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula.

3. On numerous occasions, including the meeting on February 11 and a joint courtesy call on Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard on February 10, Deputy Minister Kang explained how the ROK, as MIKTA’s chair, will contribute to the development of MIKTA, and asked for the member states’ active interest and participation.

o Deputy Minister Kang said that in order for MIKTA, which marks its 7^th anniversary, to play a more constructive role in the international community, the ROK, as its chair, will facilitate discussions among the member states on ways to further develop MIKTA, including elevating it to a summit-level consultative platform.

o The ROK side also proposed putting MIKTA’s focus on multilateralism, sustainable development, peace and security, and internal consolidation this year.

- The ROK side proposed expressing MIKTA’s joint position on reviving multilateralism on the occasions of major international meetings; deepening cooperation in development cooperation and the UN’s peacekeeping operations; and increasing people to people exchanges by consolidating intra-MIKTA networks, actively engaging the private sector.

o In response, participants noted with appreciation that the ROK government’s plan is timely considering this year marking the 75^th anniversary of the UN and the 25^th anniversary of the WTO. They said that their respective governments will take an interest and play their part for MIKTA to achieve expected results during the ROK’s chairmanship.

4. The meeting, held ahead of the beginning of the ROK’s chairmanship, is seen to have served as an opportunity to enhance the MIKTA members’ understanding of the ROK’s MIKTA chair’s program, and to ask for their active interest and participation.