1. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha talked to Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan over the phone on July 3 at the request of the UAE side. Minister Abdullah congratulated Minister Kang on her inauguration, and offered to continue to closely communicate to further advance the ROK-UAE strategic partnership.

2. Minister Kang wished Minister Abdullah and the people of the UAE good health and peace to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr last week, and took note that since establishing diplomatic relations in 1980, the ROK and the UAE have steadily developed their relations and have recently established close partnerships in a range of areas, including nuclear energy, national defense, public healthcare, and medical services.

3. The two Ministers shared the view that such solid bilateral relations have been growing further based on close communications between high-level officials, including the phone conversation between President Moon Jae-in and UAE Crown Prince Mohammed on June 7, and agreed to keep the momentum.

4. Minister Kang noted that the UAE government has consistently supported the ROK government’s position on the North Korean issue, and asked for support and cooperation from the UAE, a key ally in the Middle East, in efforts to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea by utilizing all methods, including sanctions and dialogue.

o Minister Abdullah said that as North Korea is becoming a threat not only to the Korean Peninsula but also to the whole world, the UAE, as a responsible member of the international community, will actively support the ROK government’s efforts to denuclearize North Korea. Minister Abdullah also hoped to see cooperation between the ROK and the UAE on various global issues.

5. The two Ministers agreed to consult frequently on major diplomatic issues based on mutual trust built through exchanges on the global stage. They also agreed to meet in person in the near future, and have in-depth discussions on issues of mutual interest, including ways to expand cooperation between the ROK and the UAE.


* unofficial translation