1. On November 9, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se held a meeting and a working luncheon with Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek of the Czech Republic, who was on a visit to the Republic of Korea. In their meeting, the two top diplomats discussed the ROK-Czech ties in government affairs, including coordination on North Korea policies; substantive cooperation; and cooperation on the international stage.

° The two Ministers expressed satisfaction with steady advances in the bilateral strategic partnership as well as close, timely consultations on issues concerning the Korean Peninsula and such global issues as those regarding refugees and terrorism.

2. The two sides noted with appreciation that the exchange of visits by the leaders of the two countries in 2015 to mark the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations had helped solidify the foundation of the bilateral strategic partnership. They agreed to continue high-level exchanges and step up cooperation on the bilateral, regional and global levels in efforts to take both the ROK-Czech and the ROK-Visegrad Group (V4) relations a notch higher.

3. Minister Yun, stressing that that a closer cooperation in the energy sector could build momentum for economic cooperation, proposed that the two countries increase substantive cooperation in such fields as infrastructure and defense industry. Minister Zaoralek voiced hope that the two countries, as strategic partners, will work together in scientific and technological research in a closer and mutually beneficial manner and on such international stages as the UN.

4. Minister Yun, calling North Korea’s nuclear and missile provocations a grave security threat to the ROK that should be resolved with urgency, asked the Czech Republic to take an active part in the international efforts to pressure North Korea, including through a new Security Council sanctions resolution to be adopted and the EU’s additional sanctions against the North.

° Minister Zaoralek, sharing Minister Yun’s view that nuclear tests by North Korea are unacceptable, grave provocations, stated that the Czech government, in close cooperation with the ROK government, will do whatever is necessary for the EU’s tough sanctions and pressure to be effective.

5. The two sides extensively exchanged views on the ROK-Japan-China relations and the security situation in Northeast Asia of late; and the issues concerning refugees, terrorism, Brexit and security in Europe. They agreed to work more closely together as each other’s main partners in Northeast Asia and East-Central Europe, respectively.

6. The ROK-Czech foreign ministerial meeting, the third of its kind since the two top diplomats took up their posts, came a year after the ROK-V4 foreign ministerial meeting in November 2015. It is seen to have helped the ROK step up cooperation on bilateral, regional and global issues with the Czech Republic, the ROK’s strategic partner.


* unofficial translation