1. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha met with Managing Director Christine Lagarde of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on September 8, during which the two sides extensively discussed the global and Korean economic situations; the situation in Northeast Asia; and ways to maintain the Republic of Korea’s sovereign credit rating, for the ROK and the IMF to work more closely together, and to increase women's participation in the work force.

2. Minister Kang stressed that with global economy showing signs of steady recovery, the IMF should play an active role in the efforts to achieve a sustainable growth of global economy and to stabilize financial market; and shared with the IMF Managing Director the ROK government’s efforts to seek economic stability and to manage geopolitical risks in Northeast Asia.

3. IMF Managing Director Lagarde pointed out that global economy is showing signs of recovery and that even in the face of the grave situation on the Korean Peninsula in the wake of the recent sixth nuclear test by North Korea, the ROK will see a continuous and stable economic growth. The Managing Director, calling women’s participation in the work force important for a steady economic growth, highlighted the need to lay the institutional groundwork in that regard.


* unofficial translation