Press Briefing

Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Noh Kyu-duk

October 30, 2018  14:30  KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

First, the “8th High-Level Forum on the Korea-Caribbean Partnership” will take place at the Four Seasons Hotel on October 31 at 2 p.m., and Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will deliver opening remarks at the forum.

At the upcoming forum, to be held under the theme “Korea-Caribbean partnership for peace and security,” a number of experts from home and abroad, including foreign and security ministerial-level officials from 8 Caribbean states and the Secretariat of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), will discuss ways to promote peace and security in the two regions.

The forum is expected to serve as a meaningful opportunity to further solidify support from the Caribbean states, the Republic of Korea’s traditional allies, for efforts to establish a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, as well as to discuss ways the ROK and the Caribbean region can cooperate on new security issues facing the Caribbean states, including cybercrime and human trafficking.

Moving on to the next topic, Vice Minister Cho Hyun will deliver a keynote address at the 17th ROK-India strategic dialogue dinner, to be held at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul on October 31.

The ROK-India strategic dialogue is a track-1.5 conference between the two countries that has taken place since 1996. The 17th strategic dialogue will be co-hosted by the Korea Foundation, the Seoul Forum for International Affairs, and the Ananta Aspen Center in India.

The Vice Minister’s keynote address is expected to become a good opportunity to help academics, politicians and businesspeople of the two countries better understand the ROK-India relations, which have advanced following President Moon Jae-in’s state visit to India in July, as well as the ROK’s New Southern Policy towards India.

Lastly, Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho will attend the 15th ROK-Middle East cooperation forum, to be held in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on October 31.

The ROK-Middle East cooperation forum is a representative track-1.5 forum to enhance mutual understanding, deepen substantive cooperation, and establish human networks between the ROK and the Middle East. The 15th forum will take place under the theme “ROK-Middle East cooperative partnership in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”

In his keynote speech, Vice Minister Lee will present concrete ways the ROK and the Middle East can work together down the road in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

During his visit to the UAE to attend the forum, Vice Minister Lee will also meet with UAE government officials on October 31, and chair a meeting of heads of the ROK’s diplomatic missions in the Middle East on November 1.

Thank you.

(A question-and-answer session followed.)

* unofficial translation