1. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha met with Defense Minister Sedki Sobhi of Egypt on September 11, during which the two senior officials exchanged views on ways for the Republic of Korea and Egypt to work more closely together and the situations in their two regions.

° Minister Kang, calling Egyptian President Al-Sisi’s visit to the ROK in 2016 an opportunity to increase defense cooperation between the two countries, expressed hope that Minister Sobhi’s visit to the ROK will help further step up bilateral cooperation.

° Minister Sobhi, bringing attention to tangible progress in defense cooperation between the ROK and Egypt, spoke of the latter country’s plan to establish a military attaché office in Seoul in the second half of the year 2017.

2. Minister Kang expressed appreciation to Egypt, one of the current, non-permanent members of the UN Security Council and a major member of the Arab community and the Non-Alignment Movement, for making a principled response to and playing an active role over North Korean nuclear tests, including by issuing statements of denunciation against them. She went on to highlight the importance of joining the international efforts to thoroughly implement the UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea.

° Minister Sobhi, saying that the Egyptian government is very clear in its position on the North Korean nuclear issue, stressed that the North must comply with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. He added that the Egyptian government will continue to pay attention to and support the ROK’s position in that regard.

3. Minister Kang, bringing attention to the ROK government’s efforts to better protect its nationals, extended appreciation to the Egyptian military and police for their assistance and cooperation in handling the aftermath of the terrorist attack on Koreans on the Sinai Peninsula in 2014. She went on to ask the Egyptian government to pay a keener attention to the safety of the Korean visitors to tourist attractions in the country.

° Minister Sobhi responded that more efforts will be made to ensure the safety of the Korean visitors to Egypt.

4. Defense Minister Sobhi’s visit to the ROK and meeting with the ROK Foreign Minister, which came amid the growing bilateral cooperation in political affairs, national defense, economy and various other sectors, are seen to have served as an opportunity to step up bilateral cooperation on major issues, including the North Korean nuclear program, defense affairs and the protection of overseas nationals.


* unofficial translation