1. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lee Tae-ho held a vice chair-level consultation on the 30th anniversary in 2020 of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the ROK and the Russian Federation with Special Presidential Representative for International Cultural Cooperation Mikhail Yefimovich Shvydkoy in Moscow, Russia, on the morning of October 18.

○ At the consultation held at the vice-chair level for the first time between government agencies in charge of commemorative projects in celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the two sides shared the progress in preparations for the next year’s commemorative projects and exchanged views on future cooperation.

2. The two sides selected “Be Friends. Trust. Act.*” as a joint slogan marking the year of mutual exchanges between the ROK and the Russian Federation. The two sides agreed to have close consultations to promptly finalize commemorative projects for the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries in 2020 that could substantially contribute to enhancing mutual understanding as well as people-to-people exchanges between the people of the ROK and Russia. Furthermore, they agreed to hold meetings between the chairs of the organizing committee for the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the ROK and the Russian Federation at an early date.

* The English version of the slogan will be confirmed through further discussions.

○ In addition, the two sides confirmed the Russian plan to hold “The Russian Seasons” event in 2021 on the Korean Peninsula, and agreed on the participation of the ROK as the guest of honor at an Open Innovations Forum to take place in Russia in 2020.

○ In addition, the two sides agreed to continue to discuss the participation of the ROK as the guest of honor at the 10^th St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum through consultations between the cultural ministries of the two countries.

3. During the consultation, Vice Minister Lee explained the ROK government’s efforts to systematically implement projects covering a range of fields such as political affairs, economy, culture and art, education, science and technology, exchanges between younger generations of the two countries and cooperation among provincial governments at the government-wide level led by the organizing committee which was formed in April this year.

○ In particular, Vice Minister Lee commented that under the vision of advancing the strategic cooperative partnership and enhancing mutual understanding between the people of the two countries, the ROK government is carrying out the commemorative projects primarily focusing on three topics: open participation, co-prosperity and future orientation, and asked for the Russian government’s interest and cooperation to ensure substantial progress in such projects.

4. Special Representative Shvydkoy expressed expectation that on the occasion of the year of mutual exchanges between the ROK and the Russian Federation, the bilateral friendship and cooperation built over the past three decades would demonstrate itself in various areas, and hoped that diverse projects not limited to culture and art, implemented by the government municipalities and private sectors, would provide a platform for elevating the bilateral strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level.

5. During his visit, Vice Minister Lee met with Deputy Minister of Culture Pavel Stepanov on the afternoon of October 18. The two sides shared the view that Culture and Art is the area most familiar and accessible to people of the two countries, and agreed to work together to carry out substantive projects in celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations in the areas of culture and art such as pursuing joint projects in the future.