1. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha attended a luncheon meeting hosted by EU Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Michael Reiterer and 22 heads of diplomatic missions of the EU member states in the ROK at Four Seasons Hotel on October 31, and exchanged views on the ROK-EU relations, regional situations, including the North Korean nuclear issue, and ways to enhance global cooperation.

2. Minister Kang stressed that the ROK is the EU’s most suitable partner as the only country in the international community that has signed three key agreements with the EU -- Framework Agreement, FTA, and Framework Agreement for Participation in EU Crisis Management Operations. The Minister took note that the ROK-EU strategic partnership has been expanding and deepening to cover not only political and economic affairs but crisis management, as can be seen from the fact that the ROK Navy has participated in the EU’s counter-piracy operations off Somalia three times this year.

o Minister Kang said that President Moon Jae-in is considering Europe a major cooperation partner and thus placing importance on the region, as demonstrated by the dispatch of an envoy to the EU for the first time since his inauguration in May. She added that she is pleased that strategic cooperation between the two sides has been strengthened through the recent foreign ministers’ meetings between the ROK and the EU, Belgium and France.

o Minister Kang expressed hope that the ROK and the EU will further increase not only political cooperation, including on the North Korean nuclear issue, and economic cooperation based on the ROK-EU FTA, but also cooperation in areas related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including bio, ICT and new and renewable energy, and climate change and green growth.

3. Ambassadors of the EU member states to the ROK said that the ROK is the EU’s closest partner and the ROK-EU relations are at their highest level today, and hoped that the two sides will continue to further expand bilateral, regional and global cooperation.

o In particular, the Ambassadors said that the ROK-EU FTA is bringing benefits to the economies of both sides, and noted that the two sides are building close cooperative relations in a range of areas, including economy and trade, science and technology, and education. They also expressed hope that the two sides will continue to strengthen joint efforts to create new growth engines.

o They took note that cooperation between the ROK and the EU in crisis management is also going smoothly, as can be seen from the fact that regarding the accident where Korean crew members of the Stellar Daisy were missing, the EU provided satellite images to the ROK side.

4. Minister Kang and the Ambassadors of the EU member states shared their assessments of the recent situation regarding the North Korean nuclear issue, and engaged in in-depth discussions on ways to achieve the complete dismantlement of North Korea’s nuclear programs in a peaceful manner.

o Minister Kang emphasized that the international community needs to induce North Korea to take the path towards denuclearization through diplomatic efforts, including strong sanctions and pressure, while continuing to deter North Korea’s provocations, and in this context, she took note of the EU’s recent adoption of tough new unilateral sanctions against North Korea.

o The Ambassadors agreed with Minister Kang’s view, took note of the ROK government’s leading role in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue, and agreed to continue to closely cooperate with the ROK on the global stage.

5. Minister Kang explained that the ROK government is making its utmost efforts to successfully host peaceful Winter Olympics and Paralympics in PyeongChang next year that contribute to peace not only on the Korean Peninsula, but across the world. She asked for active participation and support from the EU countries, many of which are winter sports powerhouses.

6. The luncheon meeting is seen to serve as an opportunity to reaffirm cooperation between the ROK and the EU in continuing to advance the strategic partnership between the two sides and solving the North Korean nuclear issue in a peaceful manner, and to strengthen close communications and cooperation between the Foreign Ministry and the diplomatic missions of the EU member states in the ROK.


* unofficial translation