1. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, who is on a visit to New York to attend the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly, met with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on September 20, and engaged in in-depth discussions on issues of mutual interest, including the ROK-China relations and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

2. The two Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to continue to develop the relations between the two countries, which marked the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations on August 24, and agreed to further advance the bilateral relations by continuing communications and exchanges at each level.

3. The two Ministers shared the view that North Korea’s sixth nuclear test and repeated ballistic missile launches are not only a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions, but a very serious threat to the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula and the world. They agreed to strengthen joint efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula.

o Regarding North Korea’s sixth nuclear test, Minister Kang took note that China made an important contribution to the adoption of Security Council Resolution 2375, and asked the Chinese side to play a leading role in ensuring a thorough and transparent implementation of the Security Council resolution.

o Minister Wang said that China will thoroughly and fully implement relevant Security Council resolutions, including by taking measures to step up crackdowns on smuggling operations between China and North Korea. He also stressed the importance of efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through dialogue and negotiations.

4. The two Ministers explained their positions on the THAAD deployment. In particular, Minister Kang pointed out that the increasing difficulties facing Korean companies in China, including Lotte, not only cause a worsening of public sentiment, but highlight the risks that companies of other countries face when entering the Chinese market. She called for the Chinese government’s related efforts.

5. The ROK-China Foreign Ministers’ meeting marked the second since the inauguration of the Moon Jae-in government, and came about fifteen days after their phone conversation on September 4 to discuss ways to respond to North Korea’s sixth nuclear test (September 3). The meeting, held amid the security situation more serious than ever in the wake of the North’s sixth nuclear test and ballistic missile launches, served as an opportunity to further strengthen related cooperation and maintain close communications between the two countries.


* unofficial translation