1. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Network of Think Tanks and Academic Institutions will hold an academic seminar on the Republic of Korea’s Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Initiative (NAPCI) in Vienna, Austria, on July 5, hosted by the International Peace Institute (IPI) with the support of the ROK Foreign Ministry.

2. The seminar will bring together some 40 people, including such high-level officials as Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Kim Hyoung-zhin and Ambassador to Austria Song Young-wan from the ROK, and Senior Adviser Fred Tanner to the OSCE Secretary General; Senior Vice President Walter Kemp of the IPI; Academic Director Heinz Gartner of the Austrian Institute for International Affairs (oiip); and civilian experts.

° Deputy Minister Kim and Senior Adviser Tanner will deliver both a keynote speech at the opening ceremony and closing remarks at the closing ceremony.

3. The first bilateral meeting on cooperation with the OSCE with regard to NAPCI is expected to serve as an opportunity to seek specific ways to step up multilateral security cooperation in Northeast Asia based on the OSCE’s abundant relevant experiences, including with the Helsinki process, and expertise.

4. Prior to the seminar, Deputy Minister Kim will visit the UK on July 3 and 4 to meet with Minister of State Hugo Swire of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and reaffirm the solid ROK-UK relations and coordination on North Korea issues in the wake of the UK decision to withdraw from the EU.

° The Deputy Minister will also meet with members of major think tanks in the country, including Director Robin Niblett of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), and exchange views with them on outlooks in the wake of the UK decision to leave the EU.


* unofficial translation