1. In Washington DC, the US, on June 15, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se held a working dinner with senior officials of the White House and the Department of State who handle Korean Peninsula affairs.

* The dinner was attended by Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel, Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Sung Kim, Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues Robert King, Special Representative for North Korea Policy Sydney Seiler from the Department of State, as well as Director for Korea Allison Hooker of the White House’s National Security Council.

2. Minister Yun extended appreciation to the senior officials of the White House and the Department of State for their efforts to make a success of President Park Geun-hye’s visit to the US, which had originally been scheduled for mid June. He asked the officials to make strong efforts to reschedule her visit for the earliest mutually convenient time as already agreed by their leaders.

◦ The US officials expressed their full understanding on and support for President Park’s decision to inevitably delay her visit to the US in order to counter the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) situation in the ROK. They mentioned that they will work to finalize as soon as possible President Park’s schedule in the US.

◦ In addition, the officials voiced expectation that President Park’s visit to the US will serve as an opportunity to reaffirm the steadfast and close ROK-US alliance and to discuss in depth the role of the alliance on the Korean Peninsula as well as in Northeast Asia and global community, and its way forward.

3. The two sides, calling the ROK-US alliance stronger than ever as the linchpin for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, agreed to further step up the already close bilateral collaboration and enhance their firm response posture amid the increasingly fluid situation on the Korean Peninsula of late. In addition, the two sides exchanged views on a wide range of matters of mutual concern, including the situation in Northeast Asia and major global issues.

◦ In particular, Minister Yun explained in detail the function and the usefulness of the Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Initiative for peace and stability in the region, asking for the US government’s keen attention to and support for advances of the policy.

4. On a side note, on June 16 (June 17, Korea Standard Time), Minister Yun will meet with Deputy Secretary Tony Blinken and Under Secretary Wendy Sherman of the Department of State as well as President John Hamre of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He will also hold a working breakfast with US scholars.


* unofficial translation