1. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lim Sung-nam visited Sweden and held the 8th policy consultation between the Republic of Korea and Sweden with his Swedish counterpart Annika Söder on July 14. They engaged in extensive discussions on the ROK-Sweden substantive cooperation; situations in the region, including the Korean Peninsula; and global issues.

2. Vice Minister Lim said that as the ROK government places importance on justice and fairness, there is great potential for cooperation with Sweden, which has established exemplary welfare and labor relations models under the social market economy. Vice Minister Lim also offered to further increase communications between the two countries, following the policy consultation.

o State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Söder said that Sweden will work closely with the ROK government to share the country’s models for welfare and labor-management cooperation. She also explained that Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Löfven, together with the ILO, proposed the Global Deal Initiative in order to jointly respond to challenges in the global labor market and achieve SDGs, adding that she hopes to see cooperation in the area between the Swedish and ROK governments.

3. Vice Minister Lim and his Swedish counterpart took note that the two countries have closely cooperated in responding to global issues, including climate change, SDGs and the UN Ocean Conference, and agreed to continue the tradition of mutual support and cooperation on the global stage, including the UN.

o State Secretary Söder asked for Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha’s participation in a meeting of Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström-led network of women foreign ministers, which has been held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly every year. State Secretary Söder also hoped that the trade ministers of the two countries will hold consultations on the sidelines of the ASEM Economic Ministers' Meeting, to be held in Seoul in the second half of this year.

o Vice Minister Lim welcomed the Swedish side’s offer, and said that the ROK side will actively consider it.

4. Vice Minister Lim explained the new ROK government’s North Korea policy to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue and establish peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. He also requested that Sweden, as a member of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2017-2018 term, contribute to efforts to persuade North Korea to refrain from additional provocations, including a sixth nuclear test and an ICBM launch.

o State Secretary Söder agreed on the need for strong cooperation between the ROK and Sweden to establish peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and said that her country will closely work together with the ROK government.

5. Furthermore, the two sides exchanged extensive views on the situation in Europe. State Secretary Söder said that with Brexit coming, discussions are underway within the EU on various reforms regarding the future of European integration, and that the recent elections in France and the Netherlands demonstrated most Europeans still support the integration of Europe. Vice Minister Lim said that despite Brexit, it is important for the UK to continue to closely cooperate with the EU, and hoped that the EU will quell public concerns and continue to pursue integration.

6. Vice Minister Lim stressed that the Winter Olympics, which symbolize global peace and the reconciliation of mankind, will be held in PyeongChang, the ROK, the only divided country in the world. He also asked for the interest and active participation of Sweden, a winter sports power, to ensure the successful hosting of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

7. The ROK-Sweden policy consultation, which marked the first in eight years, served as an opportunity to further enhance diplomatic relations at the bilateral and multilateral levels with Sweden, an advanced welfare state showing leadership in global issues, and to closely coordinate the two countries’ North Korea policies.


* unofficial translation