1. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong Kun had a meeting with the Ambassadors of 17 Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries to Korea in a hotel, downtown Seoul, on the afternoon of March 10, and exchanged views on ways to strengthen Korea’s diplomacy toward LAC, including high-level exchanges, in 2021 and to promote substantive cooperation for the post-COVID-19 economic recovery.

2. Vice Minister Choi, calling Korea and LAC partners for shared prosperity, stressed that LAC is a highly significant region for Korea’s diplomatic diversification. He also highly appreciated that Korea and LAC have communicated with each other despite the COVID-19 situation through non-face-to-face high-level diplomatic activities and have worked actively together including by sharing their experiences in COVID-19 prevention and control and through humanitarian assistance.

3. Vice Minister Choi mentioned that the Korean government plans to carry out high-level exchanges with LAC in various ways, and suggested expanding bilateral exchanges on such occasions as the Partnering for Green Growth and Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit, the 30^th anniversary of the founding of the Central American Integration System (SICA) and the 60^th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Korea and 15 LAC countries in 2022.

4. The Ambassadors of LAC countries to Korea, welcoming the plan to boost high-level exchanges between Korea and LAC, took note of the expanding Korea-LAC cooperation on health as well as disease prevention and control. They also voiced hope that cooperation with Korea will increase in infrastructure as well as environment-friendly and digital areas in order to overcome economic difficulties triggered by COVID-19.

5. In response, Vice Minister Choi proposed bolstering cooperation on new industries using information and communications technology (ICT), such as the digital government system, digital economy and non-face-to-face education, as well as responding to the fourth industrial revolution together.

° In this regard, Vice Minister Choi conveyed hope that the “Korea-LAC Digital Cooperation Forum” to take place in Seoul from March 17 to 18 would be a starting point for seeking connectivity between Korea’s Digital New Deal policy and LAC's digital transformation policies.

6. Vice Minister Choi, saying that the Korean government’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 and Green New Deal policy demonstrate its commitment to play a leading role on the climate change issue, voiced hope to reinforce cooperation with LAC on response to climate change.

7. Vice Minister Choi underscored the need to broaden free trade agreement (FTA) networks as an institutional framework for boosting trade and investment with LAC, appreciated the recent, complete entry into force of the FTA between Korea and five Central American countries, and expressed hope for progress in the Korea-MERCOSUR (Southern Common Market) trade negotiations and in Korea’s bid to join the Pacific Alliance as an associate member.

8. The second meeting with Ambassadors of LAC countries to Korea following the one in September 2020 served as an opportunity to express the commitment to step up exchanges and cooperation with LAC, which is emerging as a major region for Korea’s diplomatic diversification, as well as an opportunity to seek ways to promote substantive cooperation with LAC in preparation for the post-COVID-19 era.