1. The government of the Republic of Korea will send special presidential adviser on Iraq Han Byung-do to the Republic of Iraq as President Moon Jae-in’s special envoy to extend congratulations on the inauguration of the new Iraqi government, and to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the ROK and Iraq.

※ The government delegation, led by special envoy Han Byung-do (former senior secretary for political affairs, and former chairman of the ROK-Iraq friendship foundation), consists of officials from government agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, as well as Korean companies doing business in Iraq.

2. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1989, Iraq has been the ROK’s major cooperation partner in the construction and energy sectors, as well as its ally which has developed friendly and cooperative relations. With this year marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the ROK government will continue to further step up substantive economic cooperation with Iraq.

o Iraq was the third-largest crude oil exporter to the ROK in 2018, and as for the accumulative amount of construction contracts, Iraq is the ROK’s seventh-biggest cooperation partner in the construction and infrastructure sectors. Iraq is a country which has great potential for cooperation with the ROK in a range of areas.

3. The delegation will pay a courtesy call on Iraq’s new Prime Minister, and meet with high-level officials of the new Iraqi government, including the Minister of Oil and the Minister of Construction and Housing. In the meetings, the delegation will convey the ROK government’s willingness to continue to strengthen the friendly relations and substantive economic cooperation between the two countries, and discuss related issues.

o In addition, the delegation will meet with officials from Korean companies in Iraq to learn about difficulties facing them, and discuss ways to help Korean companies increase presence and do business in the country. The delegation will also visit workplaces run by Korean companies in Iraq, and offer words of encouragement to Korean workers there.

* unofficial translation