1. Second Vice Foreign Minister Ahn Chong-ghee met with UK Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Charles Hay on April 20. In their meeting, the two ranking diplomats exchanged views on matters of mutual concern, including the ROK-UK relations; nuclear and other issues of North Korea; ways to cope with Brexit and to step up substantive cooperation; consular cooperation; and the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics.

2. The two sides expressed satisfaction with the growing bilateral ties in a wide range of sectors, including political affairs, economy, trade, creative industry, national defense, and defense industry, as well as the development of the bilateral ties into a quasi-alliance, as can be seen by the UK’s first-ever participation in the ROK-US combined air exercise in November 2016.

3. Vice Minister Ahn, extending appreciation to the UK for its close policy coordination with the ROK with regard to North Korea, pointed out that the international community should be united in responding sternly to bad actions that the North has been taking in total defiance of international norms.

° Ambassador Hay likewise mentioned that the international community should take stern steps to prevent further provocations by North Korea, stressing that the UK government will continue to work closely with the ROK toward the denuclearization of North Korea.

4. The two sides agreed to work to prevent the close, economic and trade ties between the ROK and the UK from being affected by Brexit and to advance them further.

° Ambassador Hay stated that despite its Brexit decision, the “Global Britain” will keep in place its open-door foreign policy, suggesting that the two countries work more closely together down the road to turn the UK’s withdrawal from the EU into an opportunity to step up the economic cooperation between the ROK and the UK.

° Vice Minister Ahn, bringing attention to the ongoing review of the possible participation of Korean companies in a nuclear power plant construction project in the UK, noted that given the capacity of Korean companies that had built a nuclear power plant in the UAE without any delays in the construction schedule and within the budget, the ROK and the UK will be good partners in the area of nuclear power plants.

° Ambassador Hay, citing a Korean shipbuilder’s work on logistics support ships for the UK, pointed out the great potential for bilateral cooperation in defense industry.

5. Vice Minister Ahn, referring to the ROK national who is still undergoing medical treatment in the UK after being injured in the terrorist attack in London on March 22, asked the UK government to continuously pay attention and render support in order for the Korean to return home safely after the treatment.

° Ambassador Hay mentioned that close cooperation is under way with the ROK Embassy in the UK in that regard, adding that the UK government will do its best in the treatment of the injured.

6. The Ambassador, bringing attention to his visit to Pyeongchang in early April, where he said preparations for PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics are smoothly under way, presented the view that more promotional efforts on the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympics would contribute to the success of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

7. Ambassador Hay asked for the participation of a high-level ROK official in the third London Conference on Somalia on May 11. Vice Minister Ahn responded that as the ROK government is taking part in the efforts to eradicate piracy and build stability in Somalia, an appropriate delegate will be dispatched to the Conference.


* unofficial translation