1. The second Global Consular Forum (GCF) will take place in Cuernavaca, Mexico, from May 26 through 28.

2. The forthcoming meeting will bring together directors-general for consular affairs of 25 countries, including the Republic of Korea, the US, China, Japan, the UK, Germany and France, as well as the EU’s representative in the field. The officials will engage in extensive discussions on ways to respond to emergencies in foreign countries; foster a culture of safe overseas travel; offer consular services to people with multiple citizenship and their nationals arrested or detained overseas; and create a better framework of international legal norms in the consular field.

3. Director-General for Overseas Koreans and Consular Affairs Lee Myung-yul of the Foreign Ministry will attend the meeting in his capacity as the ROK’s head delegate. He will explain the ROK’s system for safe overseas travel and deliver a presentation on ways that governments should respond to the rapidly changing consular environment amid advances in information and communications technology.

◦ The ROK, as a member of the eight-nation Steering Committee of the GCF, has been taking an active part in discussions on overall GCF operations and its way forward. In addition, the country is currently participating in the working groups on responding to emergencies in foreign countries and fostering a culture of safe overseas travel.

4. The meeting is expected to serve as an opportunity for an extensive exchange of views on a variety of pending consular issues, thereby contributing to efforts of many countries to build capacity to cope with crises and protect their nationals. Furthermore, it will also play a role in setting a direction for improving the existing international consular norms in a way that reflects the changes in the relevant international environment over the past 50 years since the adoption of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations in 1963 as well as in promoting relevant cooperation among countries.


* unofficial translation