1. On the sidelines of the EU’s Informal Foreign Council meeting, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha met bilaterally with Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian of France on March 18, during which the two top diplomats exchanged views on the current situation on the Korean Peninsula.

2. The two Ministers shared with each other their assessments of the current situation on the Korean Peninsula; discussed ways to work together toward the success of the upcoming inter-Korean and US-North Korea summit talks and a peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue; and voiced hope that at the EU’s Informal Foreign Council meeting on March 19, in-depth views will be exchanged with regard to nuclear and other issues of North Korea.

° Minister Kang asked France, a major member of the EU and permanent member of the UN Security Council, to remain supportive of the ROK government’s efforts to peacefully resolve the North Korean nuclear issue and build a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.

° Minister Le Drian hailed the recent progress in the situation on the Korean Peninsula; reaffirmed the unwavering support of France for the ROK government’s policy toward North Korea; and stressed that in order to induce North Korea to take tangible steps toward denuclearization, the international community should remain united in enforcing sanctions and putting pressure on North Korea.

3. The second meeting between the two Ministers following their working dinner on February 10 during Minister Le Drian’s visit to the ROK for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics is seen to have served as an opportunity to reaffirm the close ROK-France coordination for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

* unofficial translation