Press Briefing

Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Noh Kyu-duk

November 29, 2018  14:30  KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

First, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha will visit the United Mexican States from November 30 till December 2 to attend, in her capacity as special envoy of the Republic of Korea, the inauguration ceremony of the new Mexican President, which will take place in Mexico City on December 1.

Minister Kang will pay a courtesy call on new President Obrador and hand over to him a letter from President Moon Jae-in.

Minister Kang will also meet with new Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico Marcelo Ebrard for an exchange of views on ways that the ROK and Mexico can work more closely together.

Minister Kang’s visit to one of the ROK’s closest friends in Latin America is expected to help the governments of the two countries consolidate their trust and foundation of cooperation, as well as to help the ROK government broaden its diplomatic horizon in Latin America.

On November 29 and 30, Minister Kang will pay an official visit to the Republic of Panama.

On November 30, the Minister will pay a courtesy call on President Juan Carlos Varela Rodgriguez and hold a meeting with Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Isabel Saint Malo.

The forthcoming ROK-Panama foreign ministerial meeting will cover ways to promote bilateral friendship and cooperation as well as to step up substantive cooperation in various sectors.

The ROK Foreign Minister’s official visit to Panama is expected to contribute to the ROK’s efforts to deepen and advance its cooperative ties with one of the parties to the ROK-Central America FTA as well as a Latin American hub for maritime transport, finance and logistics.

Moving along, Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho will meet with Foreign Minister of the Principality of Liechtenstein Aurelia Frick at the Foreign Ministry on December 4.

In the meeting, the two sides will discuss ways to work together in economy and culture and on the international stage; as well as the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in Europe.

Foreign Minister Frick is in the ROK, accompanying Hereditary Prince Alois on his visit to the country to attend the opening ceremony of the “Liechtenstein: 900 Years of a Ruling Family in the Heart of Europe” exhibition to take place at the National Palace Museum of Korea in Seoul.

Lastly, an “Arctic Circle Korea Forum” will take place at a Lotte Hotel on December 7 and 8.

The ROK government will, for the first time among the Northeast Asian countries, host a regional forum of the Arctic Circle, which is seen as the “Davos Forum on the Arctic.” By doing so, it is expected to bolster its cooperative base for its presence in the Arctic region and thereby to solidify the diplomatic base that it has expanded into the Arctic region.

In conjunction with the Forum, an “Arctic Partnership Week” event will be held in Busan from December 10 till 14 under the theme of “Cooperation and Innovation for Arctic Future.” This event is expected to contribute to the ROK’s efforts to enhance its standing as a responsible partner for Arctic cooperation.

Thank you.

(A question-and-answer session followed.)

* unofficial translation