Press Briefing

Deputy Spokesperson Kim Deuk-hwan

November 1, 2018  14:30  KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

First, Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will meet with State Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway Marianne Hagen later today. In the meeting, the Vice Minister and the State Secretary will exchange views on the relationship between the Republic of Korea and the Kingdom of Norway, which will mark the 60^th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2019; ways to increase substantive cooperation in such areas as maritime affairs and fisheries; the progress in the inter-Korean relations, the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, and the progress in the efforts to build peace on it; and global issues.

In the forthcoming meeting, the two sides will review the progress in bilateral cooperation and seek ways to respond to major international issues. As such, the event is expected to serve as an opportunity to broaden the ROK’s diplomatic horizon and to expand the support base for a complete denuclearization and a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Moving along, Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho will visit Manila, the Republic of the Philippines, on November 6, where, the Vice Minister, together with Undersecretary for Policy of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo, will hold the seventh ROK-Philippines vice ministerial policy consultation.

In the forthcoming meeting, the Vice Minister and the Undersecretary will discuss how the two countries can step up bilateral substantive cooperation across the board, including political affairs, economy and development, by building on the outcome of the bilateral summit talks held during visit to the ROK by President of the Philippines Duterte in June 2018; and will exchange views on the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in the ASEAN region as well as ways to work together on the international stage.

Thirdly, Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will, in his capacity as head delegate of the ROK government, attend the “eleventh Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum,” which will take place at a Hilton Hotel, Seoul, on November 6 and 7.

The upcoming Forum will cover the ROK’s New Northern Policy and ways to boost cooperation between the country and Central Asia; and ways for the two sides to work together for an efficient use of water resources in Central Asia.

In his opening remarks, Vice Minister Cho will review the achievements of the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum over the past ten years and put forth its way forward; and ask the five Central Asian countries to join and support the ROK’s efforts to bolster cooperation with them in a mutually beneficial way in the course of implementing its New Northern Policy.

Lastly, Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs Yun Kang-hyeon, together with Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Tourism of the Kingdom of Spain Xiana Margorida Méndez Bertolo, will hold the sixth meeting of the ROK-Spain joint committee on economy in Seoul on November 2.

In the upcoming meeting, the two sides will explore ways to work closely together in the full range of economy-related areas, including infrastructure, transportation, new and renewable energy, science, information and communications technology (ICT) and other forms of technology, air services, the proposed revision of the bilateral “Agreement on the Mutual Promotion and Protection of Investments,” public procurement, and customs clearance.

Thank you.

(A question-and-answer session followed.)

* unofficial translation