1. On March 19, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul had a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of Ecuador Gabriela Sommerfeld. The two Foreign Ministers exchanged views on Korea-Ecuador relations, the bilateral Strategic Economic Cooperation Agreement (SECA), substantive cooperation, and cooperation on the international stage.

2. Foreign Minister Cho expressed his appreciation to Ecuador, a nation that shares with Korea universal values such as democracy and human rights, for co-hosting the Ministerial Conference of the 3rd Summit for Democracy. He hoped that the visit of Foreign Minister Sommerfeld would help further deepen the bilateral relationship.

3. Foreign Minister Sommerfeld highlighted the longstanding friendship between Korea and Ecuador, which has been continuously strengthened since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1962. She expressed hope that the Korea-Ecuador SECA, initialed in October 2023, would open up new opportunities for substantive cooperation between the two countries by enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation, including expanding trade and investment.

4. Foreign Minister Cho conveyed his hope that Korean companies, known for their excellent technology and expertise, could participate in various infrastructure projects in Ecuador, including the Manta Airport concession project. Furthermore, he looked forward to their participation in various Ecuadorian projects for urban modernization to come in follow-up to the Economic Innovation Partnership Program (EIPP) Ecuador Guayaquil project led by the Korean Ministry of Economy and Finance.

5. Foreign Minister Cho also expressed his expectation that the additional decommissioned ship to be transferred to Ecuador by the Korea Coast Guard would contribute to enhancing maritime security by carrying out missions to defend Ecuador's sovereignty over its territorial waters, and would serve as a stepping stone for future defense cooperation between the two countries. In this regard, Foreign Minister Sommerfeld expressed her appreciation to the Korean government for its significant contribution to strengthening Ecuador's public security and defense capabilities through various cooperation projects such as the transfer of decommissioned ships and invitational training programs as well as in education.

6. Both Foreign Ministers also were in agreement in their view that mutually beneficial bilateral relations have been strengthened through development cooperation programs in technological innovation, environmental protection, and agriculture. They concurred to further  future-oriented cooperation by identifying and implementing new projects in various other fields.

7. Foreign Minister Cho expressed his expectation that the two countries, both serving as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council this year, would work closely together on the Security Council to promote international peace and security, including addressing the North Korean nuclear issue. The Foreign Minister also provided insights into the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, including North Korea's escalating provocative behavior since late last year, its redefinition of inter-Korean relations, and its abandonment of reunification policy. Foreign Minister Sommerfeld conveyed her strong support for the ROK's efforts to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, including addressing the North Korean nuclear issue, and suggested that Korea and Ecuador work closely together on the UN Security Council.