1. On the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from February 21 to 22, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul had a pull-aside meeting with Italian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Edmondo Cirielli on February 21. In this meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral relations and cooperation on the international stage.

2. Foreign Minister Cho took note that President Mattarella's state visit to Korea last November served as a good starting point to strengthen Korea-Italy relations on the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year, and suggested that the two countries work together in various fields including cooperation in high-tech industries on the basis of the three MOUs agreed upon during President Mattarella's visit. Deputy Minister Cirielli, congratulating Minister Cho on his inauguration, expressed his gratitude to the Korean government for its hospitality during President Mattarella's state visit last year, and hoped that this year's 140th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations would serve as an opportunity for the two countries to reinforce substantive cooperation and work closely together on global issues.

3. Foreign Minister Cho expected that Italy, as President of the G7 Summit this year, will show leadership on major issues in the international community, and underscored that Korea is actively promoting diplomacy of “Global Pivotal State,” on the basis of which it will continue to closely cooperate with G7 countries.