1. On July 29, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, for the first time for a Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea since the establishment of the ROK-Malta diplomatic relations in 1965, visited Malta. During the visit, he paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and held a meeting with Foreign Minister George William Vella.

2. During the courtesy call on Prime Minister Muscat, the two sides exchanged views on ways to step up substantive cooperation between the ROK and Malta; North Korea’s nuclear and missile provocations and its overseas laborers as well as the situation on the Korean Peninsula; the situation in Europe since the UK decision to withdraw from the EU (Brexit); and such international issues as those concerning refugees and terrorism.

° Prime Minister Muscat explained in detail strategic advantages of Malta as a gateway to the Mediterranean region in such sectors as maritime logistics and shipbuilding, expressing hope for an expanded presence of Korean companies in Malta. Minister Yun, also recognizing the great potential for the ROK-Malta cooperation, forecast that the “mobile KOTRA (Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency),” successfully in operation in Malta since April 2016, will play a significant role in boosting trade and investment between the two countries.

° With regard to North Korea’s nuclear and missile issues, Minister Yun stressed that in order to bring an end to North Korea’s series of anachronistic and flagrant provocations in defiance of repeated warnings from the international community, it is necessary to thoroughly implement UN Security Council Resolution 2270 on North Korea.

° Minister Yun brought attention to the fact that the North Korean regime is exploiting its overseas laborers and diverting their wages to fund the development of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), asking the Maltese government to play an active role in this regard. Prime Minister Muscat stated that Malta holds a firm position on the human rights issues concerning North Korean laborers and will make best efforts to resolve them.

° Prime Minister Muscat underscored the need for international cooperation to resolve international issues facing Malta, including terrorism and refugees, and asked the ROK to work closely with Malta on the international stage. Bringing renewed attention to President Park Geun-hye’s remarks at the ASEM Summits in Milan in 2014 and in Mongolia in July 2016 regarding the vision for an enhanced connectivity in Eurasia, among others, the Prime Minister mentioned that he had been deeply impressed by her remarks with a strong message.

3. At their meeting and working luncheon, Ministers Yun and Vella, sharing the view that the first visit to Malta by an ROK Foreign Minister in 51 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1965 will help build a fresh momentum for taking the bilateral ties to the next level, agreed to further increase cooperation on the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels.

° The two top diplomats, both recognizing the great potential for bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, transportation infrastructure, people-to-people exchanges, and various other areas, agreed to expand the activities of the “mobile KOTRA”; to successfully complete Malta’s project to improve its transportation infrastructure, which Korea Expressway Corporation is taking part in; to conclude an agreement on the working holiday program in a bid to promote people-to-people exchanges; and to sign as soon as possible the revised memorandum of understanding for cooperation and the revised Agreement for Air Services between and beyond their Respective Territories.

4. Minister Yun explained in detail the danger of North Korea’s missile and nuclear provocations as well as its advancing nuclear capability. Minister Vella, sharing Minister Yun’s view, stated that Malta will make best efforts as the EU chair in 2017 for a thorough enforcement of sanctions against North Korea, including those under UN Security Council Resolution 2270 and the EU’s unilateral ones. He also spoke about the strict measure that the Maltese government had taken with regard to North Korean laborers in Malta, reaffirming its plan to maintain such a position.

5. The two Ministers engaged in an extensive exchange of views on the UK’s decision to withdraw from the EU; situations in Africa and the Middle East, including Syria, Israel, Palestine and Libya; and the South China Sea issue. They agreed to work more closely together as members of the “Uniting for Consensus,” a group of like-minded countries on the Security Council’s reform.

6. Minister Yun’s visit to Malta is seen to have served as a significant opportunity to take the friendly and cooperative ties between the ROK and Malta to the next level; to seek specific ways for substantive cooperation; and to affirm the importance of the thorough enforcement of sanctions against North Korea, including those under UN Security Council Resolution 2270 and the EU’s unilateral ones, and the resolute commitment of the Maltese government to address issues concerning the North Korean laborers in Malta.


* unofficial translation