1. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se met with his Croatian counterpart Vesna Pusić in Zagreb, Croatia, on June 13. In their meeting, the two top diplomats discussed a wide range of matters, including ways to boost high-level exchanges and substantive cooperation and invigorate regularly-convened consultative mechanisms between the Republic of Korea and Croatia; the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC); and the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia.

2. During the first-ever visit to Croatia by an ROK Foreign Minister, momentum was built for boosting high-level exchanges between the two countries, based on which the two agreed to step up cooperation down the road in various sectors, including people-to-people exchanges, trade, investment, air services and defense industry.

° Minister Yun, citing that the number of Korean visitors to Croatia had stood at 260,000 in 2014, took note of the sharp, steady growth in bilateral people-to-people exchanges. In that regard, he asked the Croatian government to ensure the safety of ROK nationals during their stay in the country. He also proposed that in line with such growth in people-to-people exchanges, the two countries work to invigorate regularly-convened consultative mechanisms between high-level officials of the governments and parliaments of the two countries.

° In addition, Minister Yun voiced expectation to see bilateral trade and investment increase on the back of Croatia’s accession to the EU in 2013 and the initialed ROK-Croatia air services agreement. He proposed that the two countries work more closely together in the air services sector, including by allowing the operation of nonstop flights between the two; support bids of Korean companies to take part in a variety of energy and transportation infrastructure projects in Croatia; and explore the possibility of working together in defense industry in a mutually beneficial manner.

° Minister Pusić noted that amid growing bilateral people-to-people exchanges, Croatia will lay an institutional foundation to maintain that trend. She conveyed hope that in view of Croatia’s strategic location along the coast of the Adriatic Sea and various forms of economic support from the EU facilitated by Croatia’s accession to the EU, Korean companies would expand their presence in Croatia and that bilateral cooperation would be stepped up in such sectors as manufacturing, ship-building and construction of energy facilities as well as railroad and other forms of transportation infrastructure.
 
3. 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) set to take place in late June, 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 for support of Croatia, a vice chair country of the 39th session of the WHC, in this regard.

° Minister Pusić mentioned that Croatia, a country with similar historical experiences, sufficiently understands and feels empathy for the ROK’s position. She expressed 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.

4. Minister Yun explained in detail the situation on the Korean Peninsula, including the latest developments in the North Korean nuclear issue and inter-Korean relations, as well as that in Northeast Asia, asking for Croatia’s attention and cooperation in this regard.

° In particular, the Minister stressed that in the year 2015, which marks the 70th anniversary of the liberation from Japan’s colonial rule and the division of the Korean Peninsula, meaningful progress needs to be made to pave way for the reunification of the Korean Peninsula. In that regard, he asked Croatia, a member state of the EU, to render continued support and cooperation on the ROK government’s initiative for a peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula. Minister Pusić responded that Croatia will remain attentive to the situation on the Korean Peninsula, while continuing close collaboration with the ROK government on North Korea issues.

° In addition, Minister Yun touched upon the Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Initiative, which is being led by the ROK government to create a practice of cooperation and build trust in the region. He also spoke about the ROK’s plan to conduct the “Eurasia Friendship Express 2015” project in July as a flagship pilot project under the Eurasia Initiative designed to play a role in enhancing connectivity among Eurasian countries and achieving a peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

5. The ROK-Croatia Foreign Ministers’ meeting on June 13, which took place during the first-ever visit to Croatia and the region by an ROK Foreign Minister, marked the first of its kind in five years since the one held in 2010 during the then Croatian Foreign Minister’s visit to the ROK. The meeting is seen to have served as an important opportunity to boost and broaden the scope of cooperation to include not only such substantive areas as trade, investment, energy infrastructure, defense industry and air services, but also people-to-people exchanges, culture and development. It is also seen to have helped widen the ROK’s diplomatic horizon to include Southeast European countries.

* unofficial translation