Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan held telephone conversations with his Canadian, French and British counterparts to exchange views on the sinking of the Cheonan.

On the morning of May 23, Foreign Minister Yu held a telephone conversation with his Canadian counterpart Lawrence Cannon and extended gratitude for the Canadian government’s dispatch of experts for the investigation of the Cheonan and the issuance of a statement of condemnation against North Korea.

Minister Cannon reaffirmed Canada’s support for the Korean government’s future countermeasures.

On the afternoon of May 20, Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan held a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner.

Minister Yu explained the outcome of the investigation on the sinking of the Cheonan announced earlier in the day and asked the French government to issue a statement of condemnation in which the French replied on May 20.

Foreign Minister Yu had a telephone conversation with his new UK counterpart William Hague on the afternoon of May 19.

Minister Yu offered congratulations to Foreign Secretary Hague on his inauguration and expressed appreciation for the UK government’s dispatch of experts for the investigation of the Cheonan and requested UK’s support for Korea’s future measures.

Secretary Hague extended thanks to Minister Yu for his congratulations on his inauguration, and voiced an intention to support the Korean position and the Korean government’s prospective measures with respect to the Cheonan incident.