● Launch of MIKTA, a Mechanism for Cooperation between Key Middle-Power Countries Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, who is participating in the 68th session of the UN General Assembly, attended a meeting of foreign ministers of middle-power countries held on the morning of September 25. The meeting was attended by foreign ministers of five countries, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Indonesia, Turkey and Australia. In particular, the meeting holds big significance in that it is the first meeting to launch a mechanism for cooperation between key middle-power countries in the international community.
At the meeting, the five foreign ministers shared the view that in the current situation where challenges facing the international community are becoming more diverse and complex, middle-power countries, which have the willingness and capabilities to contribute to the development of the international community, need to create a cooperation mechanism to address the challenges. They agreed to hold the meeting of middle-power countries’ foreign ministers on a regular basis.
The foreign ministers also decided to operate the cooperation mechanism between middle-power countries not as a new exclusive bloc in the international community but as an unofficial consultation to freely exchange opinions on major global issues. They agreed to play a bridging role between countries with different views on the global stage, such as the UN and G20. They also decided to expand their role in establishing a better world order by taking advantage of individual middle-power countries’ diplomatic asset and cooperation mechanism.
Furthermore, the five foreign ministers engaged in a broad exchange of opinions on the operation of the foreign ministers’ meeting and decided to temporarily call the meeting of middle-power countries “MIKTA” by combining the first letters of the names of the participating countries. They agreed to set the agenda for the meeting with a focus on global issues of common concern and discussed plans for priority tasks for the next few months.
* MIKTA: Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey, Australia
Minister Yun has played a leading role in discussing the launch of the cooperation mechanism between middle-power countries. At the foreign ministers’ meeting, Minister Yun proposed specific ways to run the cooperation mechanism, creating common ground among the participating foreign ministers.
☞ Press Release ● Foreign Minister Yun Establishes the First Regular Communication Channels with the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League
On the sidelines of the 68th session of the UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se held the first ROK-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the ROK Foreign Ministry and the Secretariat of the Arab League on September 25. This holds big significance in that the ROK, which mainly focused on bilateral relations in its diplomacy toward the Middle East, took a further step ahead and established regular communication channels with major regional consultative bodies, such as the GCC and the Arab League, strengthening the foundation for expanding horizons for diplomacy toward the Middle East and substantive cooperation with the region.
- In particular, considering that the GCC and the Arab League are representative regional consultative bodies that are playing an increasingly central role amid the recent political changes in the Middle East, the establishment of the first regular communication channels with the GCC and the Arab League will enhance mutual understanding between the ROK and the two organizations in dealing with regional and global issues. It is also expected to significantly help the ROK secure the Arab and Middle Eastern countries’ support and cooperation regarding Korean Peninsula issues.
☞ Press Release ● The 2nd ROK-CELAC Troika High-Level Meeting On the sidelines of the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se held a high-level meeting with the Troika+1 (Cuba, Chile, Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago) of the Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC) on September 27 to discuss ways to boost cooperation between the Republic of Korea and CELAC. CELAC is the only regional cooperation mechanism in Latin America participated by all the countries in the region.
The two sides took note of substantially growing cooperation between the ROK and Latin America mainly in the sectors of trade and investment. They agreed to hold ROK-CELAC Troika meetings to seek ways to maintain this momentum and expand the scope of their cooperation to include other sectors.
° The two sides shared the view that they should map out concrete blueprints for cooperation in different sectors.
Minister Yun proposed a direction of the ROK-CELAC cooperation, which calls for categorizing their cooperation into bilateral, regional and global levels, selecting fields of cooperation for each category and pursuing them. He proposed that the ROK and CELAC work together in the following fields on each level of cooperation: trade, investment, infrastructure, human resource development and tourism on the bilateral level; responses to natural disasters on the regional level; and development, security, UN reform, climate change and sustainable development on the global level.
° The CELAC delegation pinpointed development and response to natural disasters as its desired fields of cooperation with the ROK. Expressing its full consent to the ROK delegation’s proposal, the CELAC officials voiced the hope to continue working-level consultations.
On the occasion of the meeting, Minister Yun and his Cuban counterpart and CELAC chair Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla appreciated the remarkable increase of late in ROK-Cuba exchanges mainly in the sectors of economy, trade, culture and tourism and agreed to further expand bilateral cooperation.
Latin America, a region with abundant natural resources and an enormous domestic market of 600 million people, has lately seen a brisk economic growth, emerging along with Asia as a key growth engine of the global economy. In the ROK-CELAC high-level meeting, the ROK set the direction of cooperation with CELAC, thereby laying the groundwork for further expanding the horizons of cooperation with Latin America.
● Foreign Minister and the US Secretary of State Reaffirm their Coordination on North Korea Policies and Global Partnership Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, during his visit to New York to attend the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly, met with US Secretary of State John Kerry on September 27. In the meeting, the Minister and the Secretary exchanged views on the relations between the Republic of Korea and the United States, North Korea and its nuclear issue, the situation in Syria and regional cooperation.
With regard to North Korea and its nuclear issue, Minister Yun mentioned that the incumbent ROK government is continuously working to strongly pressure and persuade North Korea within the ROK government’s overarching framework of trust-building process on the Korean Peninsula. He added that in order to make substantive progress toward denuclearization of North Korea, the ROK and the US should work closely together while securing continued contribution from China.
° In response, Secretary Kerry took note of the thorough ROK-US coordination on North Korea issues as well as the ROK government’s consistent policy toward North Korea, and proposed that the ROK and the US maintain close consultation to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea.
Minister Yun commended the US diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation in Syria, including the US-Russia agreement reached on September 14 and the UN Security Council resolution adopted on September 26, both of which call for destroying chemical weapons in Syria. He added that the ROK, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and member of the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), will continue to take part in international efforts to ultimately destroy all chemical weapons in Syria.
° In response, Secretary Kerry extended his appreciation to the ROK government for joining international efforts to resolve the Syrian issue, including taking part in the adoption of a relevant joint statement at the latest G20 Summit and issuing five statements to condemn the use of chemical weapons in Syria. He emphasized the need for the ROK and the US to maintain close cooperation in the process of destroying Syria’s chemical weapons.
The Minister and the Secretary shared the view that negotiations on the Special Measures Agreement and the envisioned revision of the ROK-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement as well as consultations on ways for smooth implementation of the KORUS (Korea-US) FTA should move forward in the spirit of the bilateral alliance. They agreed to work closely together for the ROK-US alliance to further advance as a linchpin for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
Lastly, the two sides exchanged views on ways that the two countries can work together to boost regional cooperation on such occasions as APEC and the East Asia Summit (EAS) in early October.
● Foreign Minister Presents to the US a Vision on the Future of the ROK-US Alliance Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, at the invitation of the Korea Society, delivered a keynote speech themed “Korea-US Alliance: Destined to Shape the Future” at the Korea Society’s annual dinner held in New York on September 25.
° This year’s dinner brought together some 500 figures from various sectors of the US, including politics, government, businesses, academia and media. The attendees included Chairman and President Thomas Hubbard and Mark Minton of the Korea Society, incumbent and former Assistant Secretaries of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel and Christopher Hil, respectively, and former Commander of the US Forces Korea Walter Sharp.
In his speech, Minister Yun took note of advances in the ROK-US alliance over the last six decades and presented a concrete blueprint for the next six decades of the ROK-US alliance shaped upon the trust-building process on the Korean Peninsula, the Northeast Asia peace and cooperation initiative and the pursuit of peace and prosperity of the global community -- the three common visions for the alliance that President Park Geun-hye proposed in her address before the joint session of the US Congress in May 2013.
° Minister Yun’s speech carried significance as one delivered to the Korea Society – one of the most important supporters for the ROK-US relations – just one week ahead of the 60th anniversary of the ROK-US alliance, which falls on October 1, 2013.
☞ Full Text of Foreign Minister's Keynote Speech
Minister Yun, underscoring the need for North Korea to change, urged it to show sincerity for denuclearization talks. He added that for this to happen, the ROK and the US should continue putting strong pressure on North Korea and conducting robust diplomacy in cooperation with China and the rest of the international community.
Minister Yun also stressed that the ROK government is pursuing the Northeast Asia peace and cooperation initiative in a bid to overcome the “Asian Paradox” and establish peace and stability in the region. He added that the initiative does not run counter to the objectives of the ROK-US alliance, will encompass all of the interested parties in the region and will not replace any ongoing efforts to promote cooperation in the region.
Minister Yun voiced his hope that the realm of the ROK government’s “trustpolitik” will be expanded, thereby ultimately playing a role in promoting peace and freedom around the world. He also expressed his hope that the ROK, building upon its successful global partnership with the US, will serve as an “agent of trust” and a “proliferator of happiness” to the world.
Concluding his speech, Minister Yun noted that with the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia and the rest of the world undergoing rapid changes, “instead of waiting for the changes to come, we will make changes.” He suggested that the ROK and the US work toward an alliance that will: help to bring a free and unified Peninsula; stand as a pillar of cooperation in Northeast Asia; and spread peace and freedom around the world, drawing a good response from the attendees.
Meanwhile, the Van Fleet Award presented during the Korea Society’s annual dinner was conferred to the ROK and US diplomats stationed in each other’s countries this year in recognition of their contribution to the ROK-US alliance over the last six decades. ROK Ambassador to the US Ahn Ho-young and US Ambassador to the ROK Sung Kim received them on behalf of the diplomats of the two countries.
● Foreign Minister Holds his Third Meeting with his Chinese Counterpart on the Sidelines of the UN General Assembly Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, who is on a visit to New York to attend the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly, met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on September 27. In their meeting, the two Ministers exchanged views on the follow-up measures to the agreements reached during President Park Geun-hye’s state visit to China; inter-Korean relations, North Korea’s nuclear program and other issues concerning the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia; and global issues, including Syria and the Iranian nuclear issue.
The two sides expressed satisfaction with the smooth progress of follow-up measures to the agreements reached during President Park’s state visit to China from June 27 through 30. They, in particular, took note of the recent successful completion of the first round of negotiations on a ROK-China FTA and agreed to work together for smooth progress of the second round. They also agreed to communicate closely with each other to accelerate the implementation of the follow-up measures they have been working on.
Minister Yun elaborated on the recent efforts of the Republic of Korea to improve inter-Korean relations, including the resumption of operations at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex, which were based on the ROK government’s trust-building process on the Korean Peninsula. He expressed regret over North Korea’s unilateral cancellation of the plan for reunions of families separated during the Korean War, which are a humanitarian event in nature. In response, Minister Wang commended the aforementioned efforts by the ROK and voiced hope that the ROK will continue making efforts toward inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation.
The two sides exchanged in-depth views on the recent developments related to the North Korean nuclear issue, including Minister Wang’s visit to the US. Minister Yun commended China’s diplomatic efforts to make progress on the North Korean nuclear issue and emphasized the need for North Korea to demonstrate its sincerity toward denuclearization through concrete actions in order for the Six-Party Talks to resume.
The two Ministers welcomed that the efforts by the international community, including the UN, on the Syrian issue are moving in a positive direction. Minister Wang noted that there have lately been signs of changes in the Iranian nuclear issue as well, adding that the efforts will continue led by the “P5+1” toward more progress.
The two Ministers, having held three meetings, including the latest held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, and two telephone conversations since the launch of the new ROK government, have kept their consultative channel open at all times. By doing so, they are leading efforts to set up a “comprehensive strategic dialogue mechanism” called for in the Joint Statement for the Korea-China Future Vision.
● Foreign Minister Meets with his Japanese Counterpart on the Sidelines of the UN General Assembly Session On the sidelines of the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se met with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida on September 26 to exchange views on the relations between the Republic of Korea and Japan and the current situation on the Korean Peninsula.
Minister Yun offered his congratulations to Japan for its selection as the host of the 2020 Summer Olympics. The two Ministers agreed to work together to make successes of the Olympics to be held in their countries consecutively –the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, ROK, and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
Minister Yun extended his appreciation to Minister Kishida for his attendance at the opening ceremony of the Korea-Japan Cultural Festival held in Tokyo on September 21. Quoting words by Japan’s Confucian scholar Amenomori Hoshu, he commented that sincere exchanges and trust-building between the peoples of the countries will serve as the cornerstone for the future of the ROK-Japan relations.
Minister Yun, bringing renewed attention to President Park Geun-hye’s Liberation Day address on August 15, noted that the ROK and Japan, as close neighbors, should be partners for achieving peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia. He added that to this end, leadership should be exercised in a way that will bravely seek to heal wounds from the past.
Minister Yun took note of the fact that Japanese Prime Minister Abe will speak about Japan’s position on women issues in his keynote speech at the UN General Assembly on September 26. He stressed that measures that are acceptable to the victims of past wrongdoings should be taken at the earliest possible date to heal their pains and wounds. Minister Yun voiced his hope that Japan’s recent moves to strengthen its defense and security posture will be made in a way that dispels neighboring countries’ worries and doubts ensued from their shared past with Japan.
Minister Yun underscored that a correct view of history is the basic foundation of the ROK-Japan relations. In response, Minister Kishida noted that the Abe government remains unchanged in its position that it will succeed the former governments’ view of history and expressed hope for steady advances in the relations with the ROK, a country that shares Japan’s interests and values. Minister Yun made it clear that the ROK will not accept any attempts to gloss over the truths regarding historical issues between the two countries.
Minister Yun noted that the proposed inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List of the modern industrial heritage sites in Kyushu and Yamaguchi, a place of painful history of forced labor for Korean people, fails to comply with the basic spirit and purpose of the World Heritage system, and asked the Japanese government to reconsider the bid. Minister Yun expressed concern over the recently resumed anti-Korean protests by Japan’s rightist groups and asked the Japanese government to take tangible and effective measures in this regard.
Minister Kishida voiced his hope that the ROK would lift its ban on fisheries imports from Japan at an early date. In response, Minister Yun explained that the ban was inevitably put in place as a preventive and temporary measure in response to the growing fears and the sharp reduction in sales of Japan’s fisheries products in the ROK following radioactive water leaks from the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The two sides agreed to address this issue together, while sharing relevant information as necessary.
With regard to North Korean issues, the two Ministers agreed that the ROK and Japan, together with the international community, should send to North Korea a clear and consistent message so as to lead it to make the right choice for change.
The two Ministers agreed to work to create conditions conducive to productive dialogue, while maintaining communication in various forms.
