1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang, Kyung-wha spoke over the phone with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives Abdulla Shahid on the afternoon of October 22 at the latter’s request, and discussed cooperation on the international stage including the selection of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General, cooperation in COVID-19 response, and ways to enhance bilateral relations.

2. Minister Kang asked the Maldivian government to actively support Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee, the ROK’s candidate for the WTO Director-General, for her final selection as the new WTO Director-General. Minister Shahid offered to continue close communication and cooperation between the two countries on the international stage.

3. The two sides shared the COVID-19 situation and response measures in their countries, and exchanged views on the resumption of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

4. The two sides noted with appreciation that the two countries have been continuing close communication even amid the COVID-19 situation, including having three phone conversations between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries this year, and agreed on the importance of robust exchanges between the governments of the two countries.