Press Briefing

Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Affairs Choi Youngsam

July 29, 2021  14:30  KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

On the morning of tomorrow, July 30, Minister of Foreign Affairs Chung Eui-yong will have a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov, who will visit Korea from July 29 to August 2.

At the forthcoming meeting, with next year marking the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two Foreign Ministers will discuss matters of mutual interest, including ways to advance bilateral relations and expand substantive cooperation, cooperation on response to COVID-19, and the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hopes that the meeting will help reinforce Korea-Uzbekistan cooperation and thereby further broaden the horizon of Korea’s new northern diplomacy.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Chung Eui-yong will attend the ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ Meetings to take place from August 3 to 6 in a virtual format.

At the ROK-ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the morning of August 3, Foreign Minister Chung will review the achievements in respective sectors since the launch of the New Southern Policy and explore ways to cooperate toward a better future based on the past achievements.

At the ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting to be held later in the afternoon, Foreign Minister Chung will mainly discuss ways for joint response to COVID-19 and for economic recovery.

Foreign Minister Chung will attend the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the evening of August 4 and exchange views with his counterparts from the ten ASEAN member states, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia, etc. on a wide range of issues, including regional affairs and other key pressing issues such as responses to COVID-19 and climate change.

Lastly, at the ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers’ Meeting to be held on the evening of August 6, Foreign Minister Chung, together with his counterparts from the ASEAN member states, the U.S., China, Japan, the DPRK and the EU, etc. will discuss regional affairs including those regarding the Korean Peninsula, and security issues.