1. Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Yoon Soongu, together with Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Maciej Lang, held the 15^th Republic of Korea-Republic of Poland policy consultation in Warsaw, Poland, on January 23.

° The ROK government established “strategic partnership” with Poland in 2013 and has held the deputy ministerial policy consultation between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries on a regular basis.

2. At the 15^th policy consultation, the two sides assessed the ROK-Poland relations; and exchanged a wide range of views on ways to step up substantive bilateral cooperation and the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in Europe.

3. Deputy Minister Yoon noted with appreciation that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1989, the ROK and Poland had maintained friendly and cooperative ties based on such shared values as democracy and market economy, as a result of which they had become strategic partners in 2013. The two sides agreed to enhance friendship and cooperation, including by boosting high-level exchanges, as the two countries mark the 30^th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2019.

4. Deputy Minister Yoon took note of the continuous growth in trade and investment with Poland, the ROK’s top trade partner in East Europe and a country where some 200 Korean companies are operating; and suggested that the two countries further bolster cooperation in science, technology, research and development, infrastructure and defense industry.

° Deputy Minister Yoon asked the Polish government to pay attention and continue rendering support to Korean companies operating in the country.

° Undersecretary Lang, appreciating Korean enterprises’ robust investment in Poland, voiced hope for closer cooperation with the ROK in such areas as new technology, innovation and defense industry, as well as for Korean companies’ participation in Poland’s large-scale infrastructure projects, including those for the construction of a new airport and nuclear power plants.

5. The two sides discussed possible celebratory events for the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as well as ways to further boost cultural, and youth and other types of people-to-people exchanges.

° The two sides agreed to promote youth exchanges pursuant to the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Government of the Republic of Poland on a Working Holiday Programme, brought into force in June 2018.

6. Deputy Minister Yoon shared with his Polish counterpart the current situation on the Korean Peninsula and the ROK government’s policy toward the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; extended appreciation to Poland for its support for the ROK government’s work to achieve a complete denuclearization and establish a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula; and asked for continued attention and support of the Polish government.

° Undersecretary Lang mentioned that Poland, a member of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Committee, pays keen attention to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, adding that, in particular, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from 2018 till 2019, the country will work closely with the ROK.

7. The 15th consultation between the ROK and Poland, important strategic partners that mark the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, is seen to have served as an opportunity to review the progress in substantive cooperation in each sector; to discuss the way forward for the bilateral ties; and to exchange a wide range of views on the current situations on the Korean Peninsula and in Europe.

* unofficial translation