1. During his visit to the UN for a UN Security Council thematic meeting on the denuclearization of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se met bilaterally with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on April 28. In the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on ways to step up international coordination on the North Korean nuclear issue and affirmed the commitment of the government of the Republic of Korea to continuously contribute to the UN.

2. Minister Yun commended the UN Secretary-General for his active work since his taking up the post to overcome a series of crises in the international community, including Yemen and Syria. The Minister, bringing attention to the growing contribution of the government of the ROK, a responsible middle power country, in the fields of peace, security, development and human rights, affirmed that it will continue to contribute in such a robust and constructive manner.

° Secretary-General Guterres, extending appreciation to the ROK for its support for and cooperation with the UN, asked the ROK government to play an important role as a reliable friend of the UN.

° Minister Yun, sharing the view the Secretary-General has stressed since his taking up the post that a holistic approach covering not only peace and security but also development and human rights is required for conflict prevention and peace-building, mentioned that the ROK is playing leading roles in international efforts in diverse areas, including as the chair of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, and thereby rendering assistance to the Secretary-General with his work.

3. Minister Yun, citing the entire international community’s view of North Korea as a grave threat as well as its unified resolve to solve the North’s nuclear issue expressed at the first-ever foreign ministerial meeting of the UN Security Council on the denuclearization of the North, asked the UN, including the Security Council and the Human Rights Council, to make robust efforts to resolve North Korean issues.

° Secretary-General Guterres voiced hope that the foreign ministerial meeting of the UN Security Council earlier in the day had helped send a unified message of the international community to the North Korean regime, adding that he, as the UN Secretary-General, will play a role necessary to that end.


* unofficial translation