1. The 19th Korea-Middle East Cooperation Forum was held at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Doha, Qatar, on November 6. It was co-sponsored by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Korea and Qatar and co-organized by the Diplomatic Institute at Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, the Korea-Arab Society, Ibn Khaldon Center at Qatar University, and the Jeju Peace Institute.

2. The Forum, held under the theme “Korea and the Middle East: Towards Stronger Cooperation and Partnership,” consisted of three sessions on Future Prospects for Korea and the Middle East, Promoting Economic Partnerships in an Era of Green Transition, and Culture and People: The Future of Korea-Middle East Ties. In the sessions, experts from Korea and the Middle East engaged in in-depth discussions through presentations and debates.

3. In his congratulatory remarks at the opening ceremony of the Forum, Chung Byung-won, Deputy Minister for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, appreciated the diversification of cooperative relations with the Middle East through President Yoon Suk Yeol’s recent visit to the region, and suggested that Korea, which will serve as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from next year, and countries in the Middle East work together more closely to contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East.

4. Furthermore, Deputy Minister Chung commended the Qatari government for its continued efforts to resolve regional conflicts and disputes as a mediator amidst the worsening situation and deepening humanitarian crises in the Middle East, and stressed the importance of resolving the issue through diplomacy and dialogue.

5. Al-Hammadi, Secretary-General at Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also delivered congratulatory remarks, in which he appreciated that Korea and Qatar have been developing strategic cooperative relations, with next year marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

6. At the Forum, various experts presented views on the direction of Korea-Middle East cooperation, providing valuable insights for shaping Korea’s Middle East policy. The Forum was especially significant as it further promoted private-sector exchanges by establishing cooperative networks between experts and research institutes of the two sides.

7. Forum participants expressed anticipation for the 20th Korea-Middle East Cooperation Forum, which will be co-organized by Korean research institutes and the Middle East Council on Global Affairs in Korea next year, and committed to continue communication to hold a successful forum again next year.