1. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohammed Nabil Fahmy on December 17. They exchanged views on the rapidly changing situations in the Korean Peninsula and the Middle East and discussed how the ROK and Egypt can cooperate at various levels.

o Minister Yun said that as Egypt is a key country in the Middle East, the ROK will actively work to increase not only economic exchanges but also cooperation in a wide range of areas, including culture and people-to-people exchanges.

2. Minister Yun noted that the ROK-Egypt relations have developed significantly since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1995. He also stressed that though Egypt is recently experiencing political instability and crisis, Korean companies are increasing their investment in Egypt from a long-term and strategic perspective. 

o Minister Yun stated that Korean companies in Egypt are having difficulties due to high tariffs on components they import from abroad to produce electronics in Egypt. In response, Minister Fahmy said Egypt will work to improve investment conditions for foreign companies.

o Emphasizing the importance of expanding cultural exchanges, Minister Yun requested the Egyptian side’s interest and support so that the Korean Cultural Center in Egypt, the first of its kind in the Middle East and Arab region to be established next year, can play a key role in promoting cultural exchanges between the ROK and the Arab countries.

o Minister Fahmy expressed appreciation for Korean companies’ entry into the Egyptian market. The Minister requested Korean companies increase their investment in industrial projects that can help create jobs in Egypt. He also asked Korean banks, such as the Export-Import Bank of Korea, to provide support in financing.

3. On the domestic situation in Egypt, Minister Fahmy explained that according to the country’s political roadmap, its interim government, launched in July 2013, submitted a revised draft constitution on December 3 and will hold a referendum on January 14-15, 2014. He also said that after parliamentary and presidential elections, a new government will be inaugurated in mid-2014. Minister Fahmy stressed that the country will open the political process to any groups that do not resort to violence.

4. Minister Yun noted that the Egyptian interim government is implementing the roadmap smoothly and emphasized that violence should not be used in the process of political transition and Egypt needs to firmly establish an inclusive political process.

o Minister Yun also said that with the situation in Egypt getting stabilized, the ROK government lowered its travel-alert level for the entire Egypt except the Sinai Peninsula and requested the Egyptian government’s interest in the safety of Koreans.

5. Minister Yun explained the latest situations on the Korean Peninsula, including North Korea, as well as the ROK government’s principle of no-tolerance for nuclear weapons in North Korea and Trust-Building Process on the Korean Peninsula. Minister Fahmy said that he has a deep understanding of them.

o The two Ministers also engaged in a broad exchange of views on overall situations in the Middle East, including the Syrian crisis, negotiations with Iran, and Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. They also shared the view that as the situations in the Korean Peninsula and the Middle East are affecting each other as important global issues, close consultations between the two countries are necessary.

            Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

*unofficial translation