1. After visiting Jordan and Palestine on his trip to the Middle East, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se visited Israel on December 22. He met with his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman and discussed ways to expand cooperation between the two countries in a range of areas.

2. The two Ministers took note that both the ROK and Israel have achieved democracy and economic development, overcoming difficult conditions of security threats and lack of resources. Noting that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries have continued to deepen since the establishment of diplomatic relations, they agreed to take the bilateral relationship one step further to keep up with the times.

o To that end, on people-to-people exchanges, the two sides appreciated mutual visits of vice foreign ministers of the two countries last year and this year, as well as the holding of the joint economic committee meeting in May. They also decided to continue to facilitate bilateral exchanges, including the 6th joint economic committee meeting and the 11th policy consultation scheduled for next year. Minister Yun also invited Minister Lieberman to visit the ROK next year.

- Stating that an ROK Foreign Minister’s visit to Israel for the first time in seven years holds great significance, the Israeli side, in a bid to strengthen strategic communication, hoped to continue high-level exchanges and strengthen highest-level exchanges in all areas.

o The two sides also shared the view that there is great potential for cooperation in the area of creative economy between the ROK and Israel, called a “start-up nation” as a leading country in promoting innovation and business start-ups. In this regard, they agreed to explore new possibilities for cooperation, especially in the high-tech sector.

- Minister Lieberman stated that in addition to joint efforts to find new areas for cooperation, such as creative economy, the two countries need to begin FTA negotiations as soon as possible to expand material exchanges. In response, Minister Yun offered to review it step by step, holding consultation within government.

3. The two Ministers shared the view that new developments are being witnessed in the Korean Peninsula issue and the Middle East situation, which can be referred to as the two axes of the global security issue, and that those developments are affecting each other. As such, the two sides agreed to further strengthen strategic communication in related areas, and provided detailed explanations on issues in their own regions.

o Minister Yun outlined North Korea’s recent cyber-attack on Sony Pictures and developments in countries concerned, including the US and North Korea, as well as North Korea’s cyber capabilities. Minister Lieberman explained in detail the situation in the Middle East, including the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

- The two sides also agreed on the need to hold consultations on the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East and anti-terrorism, as well as cyber policy consultations.

4. Stressing that the safety of Koreans is of utmost concern in the ROK’s diplomacy towards the Middle East, Minister Yun requested the Israeli side to pay special attention to the safety of some 800 Koreans living in Israel and Korean tourists, whose number reaches 30,000 per year. Stating that Israel will actively cooperate on the issue, Minister Lieberman requested the ROK government to make some adjustments to its travel-alert levels for Israel.

5. Minister Yun’s visit to Israel was an opportunity to reaffirm that there is so much potential for more cooperation between the two countries. It is especially notable that the two sides explored possibilities for cooperation in new areas, including creative economy, an ROK-Israel FTA, and cooperation in countering cyber terrorism. 


              Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

*unofficial translation