Press Briefing

Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Affairs Choi Youngsam

September 9, 2021  14:30  KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Chung Eui-yong and Minister of National Defense Suh Wook, together with Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne and Minister for Defence Peter Dutton of Australia who will visit Korea from September 12 to 14, will hold the 5^th Korea-Australia Foreign and Defense Ministers’ (2+2) Meeting at the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, September 13.

At the Meeting to be held on the occasion of the 60^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, Korea and Australia will exchange views on ways to work together on the international stage with regard to various global issues, as well as key regional affairs including Korean Peninsula issues.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expects the Meeting to serve as an important opportunity to prepare for upgrading the two countries’ relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership as agreed by their leaders on the occasion of the G7 Summit 2021.

Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jongmoon will deliver welcoming remarks at the 14th Seoul ODA International Conference, which will be co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korea International Cooperation Agency on Thursday, September 9.

At the Conference themed “Building Back Better through Knowledge Exchange: Towards Resilient, Green and Inclusive Development,” representatives of governments and international organizations as well as scholars from home and abroad will discuss the international community’s response measures to overcome global challenges that have intensified since the start of the COVID-19 crisis.

In his welcoming remarks, Vice Minister Choi will underscore the importance of international solidarity and cooperation in such areas as health, climate change and digital future, and explain how the Korean government will contribute in that regard through development cooperation.

(A question-and-answer session followed.)