1. The 11th ROK-EU Joint Committee meeting will be held at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul on September 13, with Ahn Chong-ghee, Deputy Minister for Economic Diplomacy of the Foreign Ministry, and Viorel Isticioaia Budura, Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific of the European External Action Service (EEAS), as heads of their respective delegations.

o The meeting will be attended by officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Small and Medium Business Administration and the Statistics Korea. Participants from the EU side include those from the EEAS, the European Commission Directorate-General for Trade, the EU Delegation to the Republic of Korea and embassies of EU member states in the ROK.

2. The upcoming meeting is the first high-level regular meeting between the ROK and the EU since the inauguration of the Park Geun-hye government. With this year marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the ROK-EU diplomatic relations, the two sides will assess the current state of the bilateral relations and discuss in depth directions for cooperation to deepen the “ROK-EU strategic partnership.”

o In particular, the ROK side will request the EU’s cooperation regarding the ROK government’s major policies, such as creative economy and support for SMEs, and discuss specific ways to cooperate in supporting the ROK businesses in maritime, fisheries and customs, including the establishment of a consultative body. The ROK side will also seek to strengthen cooperation in science and technology, space and energy, where the EU side has shown strength.

3. The ROK-EU Joint Committee meeting has been held at deputy minister level annually since 2001 in Seoul and Brussels alternately to hold comprehensive discussions on bilateral cooperation in political, economic, social and cultural affairs. (10th meeting: September 24, 2012 in Brussels) 


             Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

*unofficial translation