1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced its 2020 policy plan on March 3.

2. In order to respond more strategically and proactively to the challenges to the diplomacy of the Republic of Korea (ROK), including the increasingly fluctuating international situation and growing threats at home and abroad, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has set the following as its six major tasks for 2020 and announced detailed plans for their implementation.

° First, the Ministry will continue strategic and efficient two-top summit diplomacy through the divided roles of the President and the Prime Minister in order to fulfill potentials for cooperation with numerous countries.

° Second, the Ministry will reignite the momentum of dialogue among the ROK, North Korea and the United States (U.S.) by advancing inter-Korean and U.S.-North Korea relations in a virtuous circle, thereby fostering an environment conducive to achieving progress toward complete denuclearization and establishing permanent peace.

° Third, the Ministry will seek to maximize national interests through expanded cooperation with the four neighboring countries: It will develop the ROK-U.S. alliance in a comprehensive and mutually beneficial way; manage and advance the relations between the ROK and the People’s Republic of China through high-level exchanges; bolster the foundation for stable management and future-oriented development of the ROK-Japan relations; and pave the way for  remarkable development of the relations between the ROK and the Russian Federation.

° Fourth, the Ministry will work to broaden the horizon of the ROK’s diplomacy and establish the country’s standing as a middle power country by fully implementing its New Northern Policy and successfully hosting the 2020 P4G (Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals) Seoul Summit as well as an ROK-China-Japan Trilateral Summit.

° Fifth, the Ministry will seek to protect the lives and safety of the Korean people from diversified threats by bolstering its system for protecting overseas Koreans and strengthening its capability in the areas of healthcare and environment.

° Sixth, the Ministry will implement “people and national interests-centered” diplomacy by substantively supporting national economy, stepping up “participatory diplomacy” and public diplomacy, and continuing its structural innovation for a stronger diplomatic capacity.

3. In 2020, in particular, the Ministry will carry out its work in a way that people can actually feel the effect of diplomatic achievements: To that end, it will protect the lives and safety of people by responding to threats in the areas of healthcare and environment; and join the efforts to revive the economy by actively supporting overseas activities of people and enterprises.

4. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, by faithfully implementing its work plan for the year 2020, will make best efforts to contribute substantively to the lives of the Korean people, unwaveringly proceed with the peace process on the Korean Peninsula, and play its role as a middle power country that leads the global agenda.