1. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, as chair of the second International Conference on Nuclear Security of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria, from December 5 to 9, will preside over a ministerial segment

° The first international high-level meeting on nuclear security since the end of the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) process in April is expected to help systematically establish the political momentum created through the NSS process and build a permanent nuclear security regime led by the IAEA.

2. In his opening remarks, Minister Yun will underscore the responsibility of all the IAEA member states to make efforts to beef up nuclear security; put forward ways to continuously strengthen the nuclear security regime down the road; and urge the international community to deal with North Korea’s reckless nuclear development in a united and firm manner, as enhanced nuclear security could create a virtuous circle in terms of nuclear nonproliferation and the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

° On the sidelines of the conference, Minister Yun will meet bilaterally with Secretary of Energy Earnest Moniz of the US, Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz of Austria, IAEA Director-General Yukiya Amano, and Executive Secretary Lassina Zerbo of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). In the meetings, the two sides will exchange views on ways to address the North Korean nuclear issue and ways for the ROK and the countries or mechanisms to work together.

3. Minister Yun was selected as chair of the IAEA International Conference on Nuclear Security by the IAEA Board of Governors in September 2015, which is seen to reflect the international community’s deep trust in and recognition of the ROK’s capacity and contribution in the fields of nuclear security and nuclear nonproliferation.

° The ROK, the host of the NSS in 2012 and the upcoming IAEA International Conference on Nuclear Security, will continue to lead efforts to reinforce the global nuclear security regime.


* unofficial translation