1. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se met with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin, Germany, on June 12. In their meeting, the two top diplomats discussed a wide range of matters, including the Republic of Korea-Germany relations; the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia; the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC); and major regional and global issues, such as the situations in the Middle East and Ukraine.

2. Minister Yun noted with appreciation that the ROK and Germany, through high-level exchanges being accelerated since President Park Geun-hye’s state visit to Germany in March 2014, are seeing stronger-than-ever collaboration as not only bilateral but also global partners. In particular, he took note of Germany’s role and coordinated ROK-Germany cooperation in laying the groundwork for the envisioned reunification of the Korean Peninsula, including through the Korean-German Advisory Group on the Foreign Policy towards Reunification.

◦ Minister Yun, calling the year 2015 a significant one marking the 70th anniversary of the liberation from Japan’s colonial rule and the division of the Korean Peninsula and the 25th anniversary of German reunification, highlighted the need for the ROK to learn from the reunification experience of East and West Germany. In addition, he voiced hope that Germany and the other EU member states would render continued support and cooperation on the ROK government’s initiative for a peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

◦ Minister Steinmeier mentioned that Germany, as a country that has already experienced reunification, will continue paying attention to and cooperating to the extent possible toward the reunification of the Korean Peninsula. Noting with satisfaction the smooth second meeting of the Korean-German Advisory Group on the Foreign Policy towards Reunification launched in 2014, the Minister expressed hope that the group will hold its third meeting in 2015 and bear some substantial fruit.

3. Minister Yun explained in detail the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the ROK government’s policy toward North Korea and appreciated the German government’s close collaboration with the ROK on North Korea issues. The two Ministers consulted with each other on the need for an EU-North Korea political dialogue.

◦ In addition, Minister Steinmeier reaffirmed the intention of the EU to maintain close collaboration with the ROK government on North Korea issues based on its critical engagement policy.

◦ Minister Yun noted that the situation in Northeast Asia remains in an unstable transitional state due to the lack of trust in the region. He went on to explain the significance of the Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Initiative (NAPCI), which is being led by the ROK government to create a practice of cooperation and build trust in the region in order to resolve such situation, as well as the recent moves to pursue the policy, including the ROK-EU meeting on NAPCI cooperation set to take place in Brussels, Belgium, in the following week. He conveyed hope for Germany and the EU’s continued interest and support in this regard.

◦ In addition, speaking of the “Eurasia Friendship Express 2015” project being conducted as a flagship pilot project under the Eurasia Initiative, the Minister brought attention to the meaningful events set to take place at the express’ final destination of Berlin on July 31 under the theme of “peace, unification and reconciliation.” Among the planned events are a debate on unification between college students of the ROK and Germany; a march for the reunification of the Korean Peninsula; and the closing ceremony and cultural performances near Brandenburg Tor (Gate). He asked for the German government’s interest in and support for this project.

4. In particular, with regard to Japan’s nomination for the inscription of sites of its Meiji industrial revolution on the world heritage list, which will be up for discussion at the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC), Minister Yun spoke in detail about the position of the international community, including the majority of the WHC member states; the results of the two rounds of ROK-Japan meetings; and the ROK government’s basic position. He asked Germany, the host country of the 39th session of the WHC, to play an active role in this regard.

◦ Minister Steinmeier, mentioning that he is well aware of the ROK’s position, conveyed hope that the ROK and Japan would produce agreement in a way that complies with the spirit and the purpose of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

5. The two top diplomats also exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine and such Middle Eastern issues as violent extremism, the situation in Syria and negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue.

◦ Minister Yun commended Germany for its leading role in international efforts to respond to such issues, including its participation in the international coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and in negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue. He added that the ROK likewise is taking an active part in such international efforts by providing humanitarian assistance for Iraq and Syria and addressing the issue of foreign terrorist fighters.

◦ Minister Steinmeier, commending the ROK for its contributions as a responsible member of the international community, proposed that the two countries collaborate more closely on Middle Eastern and other pending international issues. He also touched upon Germany-led efforts to resolve the Ukrainian situation in Normandy format as well as the results of the recent G7 summit talks.

6. The ROK-Germany Foreign Ministers’ meeting, the fourth of its kind over the period of the past one year, came merely four months after Minister Yun’s visit to Germany in February aimed to learn from Germany’s experience in unification diplomacy, which clearly represents close relations between the leaders and between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries. The Foreign Ministers’ meeting on June 12 is seen to have contributed to the ROK’s efforts to further step up strategic collaboration with Germany on not only overall bilateral issues but also the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia as well as major international issues.


* unofficial translation