1. During his visit to New York to attend the 69th session of the UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se met with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu at the UN headquarters on September 25. In the meeting, the top diplomats of the two countries exchanged a wide range of views on ways to promote the bilateral friendship and cooperation; expand substantive cooperation; and work together on the international stage.

2. Minister Yun took note of bilateral relations that have strengthened since the establishment of a bilateral strategic partnership in 2012. He proposed seeking specific ways to move the bilateral ties substantially forward, including forging economic ties in such new sectors as defense industry and infrastructure and making progress in cooperation at MIKTA.

3. Minister Cavusoglue mentioned that Turkey attaches great significance to its relations with the Republic of Korea, alongside which Turkey had fought in the Korean War and thereby became an ally of. He voiced hope that the two countries will see their economic ties deepen as well as cooperation on the international stage move forward.

4. In particular, the two sides drew a common understanding that Turkey should continue playing an active role in addressing such security issues as those concerning Syria and Iraq. They, as responsible members of the international community and middle power countries, agreed to maintain collaboration in resolving global issues.

5. The two sides, as the promotion of people-to-people and cultural exchanges plays a role in reinforcing bilateral relations, agreed to hold a variety events to enhance mutual understanding and to promote people-to-people exchanges in 2017 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

6. The ROK-Turkey Foreign Ministers’ meeting, the first of its kind since the launch of the new government in the latter country, is seen to have served as a good opportunity to reaffirm the bilateral bond between the two allies and strategic partners and to seek specific ways to work together. 


                 Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation