1. The Foreign Ministry held a safety meeting on July 26 with missionary groups that dispatch missionaries overseas, chaired by Ambassador for Overseas Koreans and Consular Affairs Han Dong-man.

2. In his opening remarks, Ambassador Han stressed that it is of paramount importance for Korean missionaries to have “safety awareness,” as they are carrying out their missions under more dangerous circumstances than before amid terrorist acts by extremist groups and threats from North Korea. In particular, amid threats from North Korea, he asked missionaries to refrain from visiting the border region between North Korea and China. He also asked the missionaries in China and Southeast Asian countries to pay heed to their safety and brace themselves for emergency situations by setting up such response systems as emergency contact networks with local diplomatic missions of the Republic of Korea.

3. The representatives from missionary groups extended appreciation to the government for their deep concern over the safety of overseas Koreans; responded positively to the government’s requests regarding missionary activities; and mentioned that the groups, on their part, will make efforts to ensure the safety of their missionaries dispatched overseas.

4. In order to better ensure the safety of the missionaries dispatched overseas and their accompanying families, the Foreign Ministry concluded with the Korea World Missions Association and the Korea Crisis Management Service on July 20 an “agreement for cooperation for a better protection of the missionaries of the Republic of Korea dispatched overseas.” Going forward, it will continue strong efforts to better protect missionaries overseas by seeking relevant measures at meetings between overseas diplomatic missions and local Korean missionaries and building emergency contact networks between them; taking part in safety education for missionaries; and sharing safety information on risky regions of the world.


* unofficial translation