1. On December 4, a delegation consisting of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (head delegate: Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun) met with President of Serbia Vučić, and Vice Minister Stevanovic and Political Director Vujic of the Foreign Ministry of Serbia, and discussed the Incheon International Airport Corporation’s bid for a concession to operate Belgrade’s airport, ways to increase trade and investment between the two countries, and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

o Vice Minister Cho delivered to President Vučić a personal letter from President Moon Jae-in expressing his commitment to expanding cooperation between the two countries in a wide range of areas (a reply to a personal letter that President Vučić sent in November 2017, in which he expressed his commitment to strengthening the bilateral relations). Vice Minister Cho said that the ROK hopes to enhance mutually-beneficial cooperation with Serbia in various areas, including political, economic, and cultural affairs, and people-to-people exchanges. In response, President Vučić said that he hopes to see further cooperation with the ROK.

o Vice Minister Cho took note of Korean companies’ recent efforts to increase investment in Serbia, and offered to work together to further expand partnerships between the governments and companies of the two countries in order to help Serbia to make an economic leap forward. The Serbian side agreed with the Vice Minister.

- Vice Minister Cho especially stressed that if the Incheon International Airport Corporation runs Belgrade’s airport, it will significantly contribute to Serbia’s economic development, and requested the Serbian side to positively consider the Corporation’s bid for the project.

o In addition, Vice Minister Cho talked about the situation on the Korean Peninsula, including the latest missile launch by North Korea, and expressed appreciation to the Serbian side for cooperating with the ROK in dealing with North Korea. The two sides also agreed to continue to closely work together.

2. On December 5, Vice Minister Cho will visit a refugee center in Krnjača on the outskirts of Belgrade, and tell local media that the ROK government will donate US$1 million this year, following the donations in 2015 (US$1 million) and 2016 (US$500,000), to support refugees in Serbia. He will also pay courtesy calls on Prime Minister Brnabić and Foreign Minister Dacic.

3. Vice Minister Cho’s visit to Serbia is expected to contribute to strengthening diplomatic networks with Serbia, which is emerging as a key nation in the Balkan region, in Southeastern Europe, where there have not been many activities by the ROK, considering its diplomatic capacity, as well as creating a good environment for Korean companies (Incheon International Airport Corporation, etc.) seeking to increase their presence in Southeastern Europe.


* unofficial translation