At the invitation of EU Ambassador to Korea Tomasz Kozlowski, Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan attended a luncheon meeting of Ambassadors from EU countries stationed in Korea at Lotte Hotel on June 2 to discuss matters of mutual concern, including ways to develop the Korea-EU strategic partnership.
In the meeting with 30 attendees, including the Foreign Ministry's major officials and Ambassadors from EU member states stationed in Korea, the participants exchanged comprehensive and in-depth views on a wide range of topics, including the Korea-EU Framework Agreement for Trade and Cooperation, and the Korea-EU FTA; inter-Korean relations and prospects for the resumption of the Six-party Talks; cooperation among Korea, China and Japan in Northeast Asia; and Korea's policies
on the Middle East and human rights.
Minister Kim, in particular, voiced hope that the effectuation of the Korea-EU FTA slated for July 1, 2011, will lead to stronger cooperation between the two sides. Furthermore, he asked the EU side to work toward the early effectuation of the Korea-EU Framework Agreement for Trade and Cooperation, the basic foundation for comprehensive cooperative ties and an axis of the bilateral strategic partnership.
The Korean and EU sides agreed to increase substantive exchanges and cooperation while
continuing close consultation on major regional and multilateral issues as global partners.
