1. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha held a luncheon meeting with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on November 21. In the meeting, they exchanged views on refugee situations in Asia and the world, and discussed ways to increase cooperation between the ROK and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

2. Minister Kang said that the UNHCR is playing an important role in protecting refugees around the world, and especially spoke highly of the UNHCR’s leading role in the Global Compact for Refugees, expected to be adopted at the UN in 2018 to respond to refugee crises in a comprehensive manner.

3. Minister Kang also said that the ROK government has been significantly increasing humanitarian assistance to refugees, and especially said that the government joined the UNHCR’s 20 million-plus club last year by consistently expanding assistance to the organization. Minister Kang expressed the ROK’s commitment to continue to work together with the UNHCR in responding to refugee crises around the world.

4. High Commissioner Grandi expressed appreciation to the ROK, saying that the country is one of emerging donors which have rapidly expanded assistance to refugees in a short space of time, and hoped that the UNHCR will continue to strengthen cooperation with the ROK, a strong partner in dealing with global refugee crises.

o The High Commissioner said that the ROK people’s assistance to the UNHCR is expected to exceed US$30 million this year, after surpassing US$20 million last year, and expressed appreciation not only to the government but to the private sector of the ROK for their interest in and support for the UNHCR’s activities.

5. Minister Kang took note of the UNHCR’s efforts to protect North Korean defectors, and asked the organization to continue to have a keen interest in protecting and supporting North Korean defectors staying abroad.

6. High Commissioner Filippo Grandi’s visit to the ROK marks the first since his inauguration in January 2016. The meeting between the High Commissioner and the Foreign Minister is seen to serve as an opportunity for the ROK, an emerging donor, and the UNHCR to strengthen their commitment to working together on the refugee issue, one of the biggest issues currently facing the international community.


* unofficial translation