Press Briefing

Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Affairs Choi Youngsam

October 12, 2021  14:30  KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jongmoon will attend the Arctic Circle Assembly to be held in Reykjavík, Iceland, from October 14 to 17, and deliver a speech on Thursday, October 14.

At the Arctic Circle Assembly, various stakeholders including those from Arctic and non-Arctic countries, academia, businesses, and indigenous communities will gather together to discuss Arctic issues such as climate change, science and technology research, and sustainable development.

In his speech, Vice Minister Choi will introduce the Korean government’s Arctic policy and vision and express Korea’s will to contribute to stable governance of the Arctic, sustainable development, and response to climate change.

This is the first time that a vice minister-level official of the Korean government attends the Assembly. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expects the Assembly to serve as an opportunity to show how much importance Korea places on the Arctic on the international stage and promote Korea’s Arctic policy.

Next, Amb. Noh Kyu-duk, Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, will visit Russia from October 13 to 16 and hold a meeting with Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Morgulov.

Special Representative Noh’s visit to Russia comes to reciprocate Deputy Minister Morgulov’s visit to Korea in August, and the upcoming meeting marks the second face-to-face consultation between the Korean and Russian chief negotiators for North Korean Nuclear Issue this year.

In the meeting, the two sides will discuss ways to work together to make substantive progress in achieving complete denuclearization and establishing permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula.

(A question-and-answer session followed.)