1. The Foreign Ministry will host the Second Global Chiefs of Protocol Conference in Seoul from July 7 through 9.

2. The Conference will bring together chiefs of protocol from 70-odd countries and seven international organizations, including the US, China and the UN. The Republic of Korea will be represented by the Foreign Ministry’s Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs Choe Jong-hyun.

º The Global Chiefs of Protocol Conference is the sole meeting in which chiefs of protocol of governments of countries across the world as well as international organizations participate to enhance understanding on protocol practices of different countries, strengthen networks among protocol officers, and thereby have protocol function as a catalyst in diplomacy between countries.

º The ROK has been selected to hold the event in recognition of its protocol capabilities demonstrated by its successful hosting of large-scale multilateral summits, including an APEC, a G20 and a Nuclear Security Summit.

3. On July 8, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yong, who has served as Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs, will deliver opening remarks to welcome the participants to the event and explain the foreign policy objectives of the ROK government. The Conference will consist of two plenary sessions on “culture and tradition of protocol” and “global multilateral summits in 2014” as well as small-group meetings on “diplomatic privileges and immunity,” “security service and protocol,” “protocol organization,” and “banquets and presents.”

º In view of the recently growing interest of the private sector in protocol, members of Korean business groups and protocol officers of leading Korean companies have been invited to the official dinner on July 8 to learn about protocol practices of different countries.

4. On July 9, the Conference participants will visit the border village of Panmunjeom and go sightseeing at Changdeok-gung (Palace) to see for themselves what the division of the Korean Peninsula is like and get a taste of Korea’s cultural heritage, respectively.

5. The next, the third, Conference will take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2016. 


                Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation