1. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Choi Sung-hong will visit Belgium, Portugal and Spain from June 3 to 
8, 2002.

 
2. On June 4, Minister Choi will hold the 16th Korea-EU Ministerial Meeting with External Relations 
Commissioner Christoper Patten in Brussels, Belgium, for discussions on recent developments in inter-
Korean relations and EU’s assistance for North Korea, international situation since the September 11 terror 
attacks, introduction of Euro and expansion of EU, Korea-EU trade issues and ways to strengthen economic 
cooperation, and cooperation in multilateral arenas such as the WTO Doha Round and ASEM.  Minister Choi 
will also meet with EU High Representative for CFSP Javier Solana prior to the Ministerial Meeting, and 
exchange views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, and major international 
issues such as peace in the Middle East and Balkans.

 
3. On June 5, Minister Choi will hold the Korea-Portugal Foreign Ministers’ Talks with Minister of Foreign 
Affairs and Portuguese Communities Abroad Antonio Martins da Cruz in Lisbon, Portugal, to discuss a wide 
range of issues including bilateral cooperation between Korea and Portugal, situation on the Korean 
Peninsula and major international issues of concern.

 
4. Minister Choi will then participate in the 4th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting to be held in Madrid, Spain, 
from June 6-7.  He will engage in discussions on major international issues and review preparations for the 
4th ASEM Summit to be held in Denmark in September 2002.  Furthermore, he will speak about the situation 
on the Korean Peninsula and endeavor to secure support by the ASEM foreign ministers for the policy of 
reconciliation and cooperation by the ROK government.

 
5. Taking this opportunity, Minister Choi will also hold the Korea-Spain Foreign Ministers’ Talks with Minister 
of Foreign Affairs Josep Pique i Camps and ask for Spain’s support for Korea’s bid to host the 2010 World 
Expo in Yeosu.

                                                               Spokesperson of MOFAT

* unofficial translation