1. On March 13, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs unveiled its main work plans for the year 2019.

2. The Foreign Ministry announced that in order to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula and to preemptively and proactively respond to the grand transition of the international order and various other challenges, it had set four main diplomatic tasks and two new tasks for the year 2019 as well as specific plans for their implementation.

※ The four main tasks are successfully setting a model for pragmatic summit diplomacy; seeking tangible progress toward denuclearization and building a solid peace regime; bolstering cooperative diplomacy in a balanced way; and carrying out diplomacy in a way that contributes to people’s lives.

- The two new tasks are building diplomatic capability through innovation; and building a model of overseas diplomatic missions-centered “Team Korea.”

° First, the Foreign Ministry will set a model for pragmatic summit diplomacy: The Ministry, in a bid to effectively meet the rapidly growing need for summit diplomacy, will implement the selection and concentration strategy regarding diplomatic events the President will attend.

° Second, the Foreign Ministry will seek closer coordination between the Republic of Korea and the United States as well as support from the international community for tangible progress toward denuclearization and a lasting, stable peace on the Korean Peninsula.

° Third, the Foreign Ministry will put in full gear its diplomatic diversification efforts by working more closely with four neighboring countries; diversifying partners for its New Southern and Northern Policies; and diversifying its ways to take part in mini-multilateral and multilateral consultative mechanisms.

° Fourth, the Foreign Ministry will conduct diplomacy in a way that will contribute tangibly to people’s lives: It will beef up its system for the protection of the overseas Koreans, including that for better preventing and handling aftermaths of incidents and accidents abroad; and will render better assistance to Korean enterprises operating abroad and support bids of Koreans to find job opportunities overseas.

3. In 2019, in particular, the Foreign Ministry will mainly seek diplomatic achievements that people can tangibly see for themselves: It plans to build “a town for diplomacy with the people” for closer communication with and stronger participation of the public; to pursue cooperation with the international community in reducing fine dust; and to strengthen the role of the overseas diplomatic missions as outposts of service for the people.

4. The Foreign Ministry will faithfully implement its work plans for the year 2019 in its utmost efforts to contribute to ushering in, with the understanding and support of the people, a new era of peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.

* unofficial translation