1. The Consular Office of the Republic of Korea (ROK) in Dalian, China (headed by Lee Sang-tack), will hold its opening ceremony in Dalian on August 29, with government officials and other figures from various sectors of China as well as leaders of the local ROK community in attendance.

° On behalf of the ROK government, Ambassador to China Lee Kyu-hyung, Consul-General in Shenyang Cho Baek-sang, and Lee Young-ho, Deputy Director-General for Overseas Koreans and Consular Affairs, will attend the ceremony.

2. The Consular Office in Dalian was established under the agreement reached between ROK President Lee Myung-bak and China’s Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in May 2010 and will operate as the branch office of the Consulate General in Shenyang.

* On May 28, 2010, in view of the need to further deepen the strategic and cooperative partnership between the two countries, President Lee and Prime Minister Wen agreed to set up the ROK’s consular office in Dalian and China’s consulate in Jeju as part of efforts to boost people-to-people and material exchanges between the two countries.

- Under the agreement, China opened a consulate in Jeju on July 14, 2012.

3. The opening of the Consular Office in Dalian will facilitate providing consular service to local residents and businesspeople from the ROK in a more convenient and effective manner. It is also expected to contribute to further expanding cooperation and exchanges between the ROK and Dalian City in a wide range of fields, including economy, culture, education and tourism.

                         Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFAT

* unofficial translation