1. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lee Dohoon met on March 7 with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi, IAEA Head of the Department of Safeguards Massimo Aparo, and Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Executive Secretary Robert Floyd on the occasion of the IAEA Board of Governors meeting. 

2. Vice Minister Lee met on the morning of March 7 with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi to discuss current issues ranging from contaminated water stored at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to nuclear safety and security in Ukraine to the nuclear activities of the DPRK. 

3. With regard to contaminated water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Vice Minister Lee called on the IAEA to thoroughly conduct its safety reviews on Japan’s plan to release the water in a scientific and objective manner. He also asked for the agency’s cooperation in ensuring that Korean experts and institutions keep participating in the reviewing and corroborating process to enhance transparency. 

o Furthermore, Vice Minister Lee requested the IAEA to share information on its reviewing activities openly and transparently and to communicate more actively with interested parties including the Republic of Korea and Pacific Island Countries. The two sides agreed to continue to discuss ways to cooperate in this respect. 

4. In addition, Vice Minister Lee applauded Director General Grossi for his efforts to secure the safety and security of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. Vice Minister Lee conveyed his hopes that the ROK and the Agency would work together very closely amid a renewed international interest in the safety and security of nuclear power plants. 

5. Director General Grossi expressed his appreciation for the ROK’s support to the agency in securing nuclear safety and security in Ukraine. He also asked for unwavering support of the Korean government for the central role of the IAEA in the international nuclear cooperation. 

6. Vice Minister Lee also appreciated the IAEA’s efforts in monitoring the nuclear activities of the DPRK and raising global awareness of its nuclear threats.

o Director General Grossi said that he shared the international community’s concerns about the North Korean nuclear issue and said that the Agency would continue to maintain enhanced readiness for verification.

7. Vice Minister Lee also met with IAEA Deputy Director General Massimo Aparo to exchange their assessments of the North Korean nuclear activities and discuss ways to strengthen cooperation on the IAEA’s readiness for verification. 

8. On the same day, Vice Minister Lee met with CTBTO Executive Secretary Robert Floyd to exchange opinions on the North Korean nuclear issue, entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), and ROK-CTBTO cooperation.  

o Vice Minister Lee spoke of the Korean government’s efforts toward the complete denuclearization of North Korea and asked for continued support and attention from the CTBTO, the only international organization with the aim of detecting nuclear tests. The Vice Minister and the Executive Secretary affirmed that the ROK and the organization will further cooperate on the North Korean nuclear issue.