1. Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam will visit Sweden, the UK and the EU from July 13 till 19 for meetings with State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Annika Soder of Sweden; Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Mark Field of the UK; and Secretary-General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Helga Schmid of the EU. In the bilateral meetings, the two sides will extensively exchange views on bilateral issues and ways to step up policy coordination on North Korea.

2. During the first visit to Sweden by a Vice Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea in nine years, Vice Minister Lim, together with State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Soder, will hold the eighth policy consultation on July 14 and extensively discuss ways to increase substantive cooperation between their two countries; situations on the Korean Peninsula and in other regions; and global issues. In particular, the policy consultation with Sweden, which, as a member state of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, has been contributing to peace on the Korean Peninsula and leads efforts to resolve such global issues as those concerning human rights, gender equality and international peace, is expected to serve as an opportunity to seek ways to coordinate on the North Korean nuclear issue and to work together on international matters.

3. During his visit to the UK on July 17, Vice Minister Lim will meet and exchange views with Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Field on a wide range of matters, including ways to enhance the bilateral relations in the areas of political affairs, economy and trade; to advance the bilateral ties even after Brexit; and to work together on the North Korean nuclear issue. Vice Minister Lim’s visit to the UK carries significance as an opportunity to become better acquainted with recently appointed Minister of State Field and to discuss with the UK, the ROK’s strategic partner and second-largest trading partner among the EU member states, ways to work together on security strategies, among others.

4. On July 18, Vice Minister Lim will meet and discuss with Secretary-General Schmid of the EU’s EEAS the ROK-EU relations as well as the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia and Europe. The EU has consistently been implementing its “critical engagement” policy toward North Korea, which calls for both keeping tough sanctions in place against the North and inducing the North to change for the better through dialogue -- an approach similar to the ROK government’s policy toward the North. Accordingly, the ROK and the EU seem to have great potential for strategic communication and coordination with each other on nuclear and other issues of North Korea.

5. Vice Minister Lim’s visit to Europe will come as part of the efforts to implement the ROK government’s foreign policy, which calls for moving away from the ROK’s diplomatic focus on the four powers surrounding the Korean Peninsula and strengthening its diplomacy toward Europe and ASEAN. It is expected to serve as an opportunity to enhance diplomatic ties with such major European countries as the EU, Sweden and the UK and to seek close policy coordination with them on North Korea.


* unofficial translation