1. The 2010 meeting of heads of overseas missions will be held in Seoul on February 8-12 with a total 
117 mission chiefs including ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary.

Nineteen newly appointed or nominated mission heads will take part in the meeting, while a separate one 
has been scheduled for consuls general for February 22-24.

2. The upcoming meeting will consist of in-depth presentations and ensuing discussions on the 
government’s administrative direction, current inter-Korean relations and security situation; focused 
deliberations on strategies for effective pursuit of this year’s priority tasks, namely, widening the horizon 
of summit diplomacy, successfully hosting the G20 Summit, enhancing Korea’s role in the international 
community, supporting overseas activities of Korean people and companies; and broad and substantive 
discussions on activity directions and action plans of overseas missions to prepare for the G20 Summit 
this November and attract other major international events, increase parliamentary diplomacy and cultural 
exchange, and elevate the national stature.

Furthermore, measures will be sought for overseas missions to function as sales representatives as part 
of strengthened diplomatic efforts toward  economic recovery, while meetings with the business circle have 
been arranged for in-depth discussions on ways to promote exports of nuclear energy, defense products 
and other key strategic items.

3. The participants’ schedule includes the following: a plenary discussion session on the direction 
of national administration and major projects; a workshop on this year’s priority tasks in diplomacy 
followed by separate meetings on each of the tasks; a luncheon forum to be chaired by the Prime 
Minister and meetings with business people organized to strengthen diplomacy for an economic 
recovery; and a gathering with leaders of the cultural sector and a luncheon to be hosted by the 
National Assembly Speaker; a visit to the National Intelligence Service and the Ministry of National 
Defense; and a dinner at Cheong Wa Dae. Through such activities, they plan to renew their resolve 
and mindset to successfully materialize the government’s administrative philosophy and its vision 
of global diplomacy on the diplomatic scene.

In the plenary session, the participants will listen to presentations by relevant government agencies on the 
direction of national administration; the current inter-Korean relations; progress in the preparations for the 
G20 Summit; voting rights of Korean citizens abroad; the globalization of Korean cuisine; enhancement of 
the national brand; bids to host the 2018 Winter Olympics and the 2022 World Cup; and preparations for 
the Expo 2012 Yeosu. They will then deliberate on how they can support such efforts.

The Central Officials Training Institute will host a workshop on February 8-9, during which separate 
sessions will be held on the major diplomatic objectives for the year 2010, the New Asia Initiative and 
boosting diplomacy in Africa.

The subsequent meeting will focus on ways to support efforts toward the successful hosting of the G20 
Summit; advance development cooperation; render diplomatic support for securing energy and resources; 
and lead work on climate change and green growth.

On February 8, the Prime Minister will chair a luncheon forum to explore ways that overseas missions 
can function as sales representatives. Relevant government agencies and business leaders will also 
participate in the forum. The schedule for February 10 includes a luncheon to be hosted by business-
group heads and one-on-one meetings between mission heads and businesspeople. The meetings 
will serve as opportunities for mission chiefs with sufficient first-hand experience to provide consultations 
for businesses on their matters of interest such as exchange of information on the market of mission 
heads’ host countries, and to help them win orders and overcome challenges.

As part of strengthened support efforts by overseas missions toward an economic recovery, the 
mission heads will debrief relevant government agencies on nuclear-power and defense-product 
exports and seek ways to promote them.

The mission heads will attend a gathering with leaders of the cultural community slated for January 10 
for a discussion regarding ways to pursue and expand cultural-exchange projects in liaison with summit 
diplomacy planned for this year.

During their tour of the Ministry of National Defense and the National Intelligence Service on February 9, 
the participants will be briefed on Korea’s national-defense policies and security situation. At a luncheon 
to be hosted by the National Assembly Speaker on February 12, they will hear from the parliament about 
its plans on parliamentary diplomacy for this year and discuss how to draw outcomes in this regard.

4. The 2010 meeting of overseas-mission heads, bringing together participants from relevant 
government agencies, organizations, businesses and many other sectors, and encouraging increased 
communication among them, will serve as a platform for substantive and outcome-oriented reviews and 
discussions. In doing so, it is expected to make a leading contribution to the realization of a bigger, global 
Korea.

                                Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFAT

* unofficial translation