1. During his visit to Myanmar to attend the fourth Republic of Korea-Mekong Business Forum, First Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam met with his Myanmarese counterpart, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kyaw Tin, in the Myanmarese capital of Naypyidaw on July 1. In their meeting, the two ranking diplomats discussed in depth ways to boost high-level exchanges; step up cooperation on economy, trade and development; and coordinate on the North Korean nuclear issue.

2. In the meeting, the Vice Minister and the Minister, both recognizing the need to enhance the ROK’s relations with the new Myanmarese government, agreed to further increase cooperation on political affairs, including through high-level exchanges.

3. The two ranking diplomats shared the view that given the mutually complementary economic structures of their two countries, there is great potential for further closer economic cooperation between them. Accordingly, they agreed to work more closely together in the economic and trade sectors.

° Minister Kyaw Tin, expressing satisfaction over strong economic cooperation between the two countries, stated that efforts will be made for competitive Korean companies to expand their presence and investment in Myanmar.

4. Vice Minister Lim noted with appreciation that the development cooperation projects that are currently under way in Myanmar with the support of the ROK mainly for the development of agriculture and human resources are moving successfully forward. He voiced hope that these projects will contribute to Myanmar’s socio-economic development.

° Minister Kyaw Tin, extending appreciation to the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and other ROK government agencies for their official development assistance, expressed hope that more development cooperation projects will be conducted for Myanmar to learn from the ROK’s development experiences.

5. Vice Minister Lim explained the progress in sanctioning North Korea and in implementing UN Security Council resolutions on the North in response to its provocations. In that regard, he stressed that it is important for the international community to thoroughly implement Security Council resolutions and thereby send to North Korea a stern, consistent message of non-acceptance of a nuclear North Korea.

° In particular, the Vice Minister extended appreciation to the Myanmarese government for issuing its first-ever statement on North Korea over the North’s fourth nuclear test and asked for more active cooperation of Myanmar with regard to the North Korean nuclear issue.

° Minister Kyaw Tin, calling North Korea’s provocations a threat to stability and peace on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, stressed that Myanmar, as a member state of the UN, will seek to implement relevant Security Council resolutions.

6. After the meeting with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Vice Minister Lim paid a courtesy call on State Adviser and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and exchanged views with her on key bilateral issues, including ways to increase high-level exchanges as well as cooperation on infrastructure, energy and development.

° Union Minister Suu Kyi, calling improving Myanmar’s transportation infrastructure an important policy objective of the new Myanmarese government, expressed keen interest in the ROK’s experiences in the development of infrastructure.

7. Vice Minister Lim’s visit to Myanmar came as an expression of the ROK’s strong willingness to enhance its friendly and cooperative ties with the new Myanmarese government that had been formed through a historic election in 2015. As such, it is seen to have served as an opportunity to further increase high-level exchanges and other forms of substantive cooperation.


* unofficial translation