1. First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kyou-hyun will visit El Salvador, Colombia and Peru from October 15 to 19 to strengthen cooperation between the ROK and SICA (Central American Integration System, Spanish: Sistema de Integración Centroamericana) and to attend the ROK-Latin America and the Caribbean Strategic Consultation on Cooperation, the Fourth ROK-Peru High-level Policy Consultation and a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the ROK and Peru.

2. Vice Minister Kim Kyou-hyun will visit El Salvador on October 15. He will meet with Secretary-General Hugo Martinez of SICA, a regional consultative body consisting of eight Central American countries, and discuss ways to enhance cooperation between the ROK and SICA. The Vice Minister will also pay a courtesy call on Foreign Minister of El Salvador Jaime Martinez and discuss ways to strengthen substantive cooperation between the two countries in a wide range of areas.

o In particular, since joining SICA as an observer in 2012, the ROK government has expanded cooperation with the organization in various areas, including security, informatization and development. The upcoming visit is expected to serve as a good opportunity to find new areas for cooperation and promote mutually-beneficial cooperation with Central America.

3. On October 17, Vice Minister Kim will hold the ROK-Latin America and the Caribbean Strategic Consultation on Cooperation in Bogota, Colombia, with 17 heads of the ROK’s diplomatic missions in Latin America and the Caribbean. They will discuss developments at Latin America’s representative regional consultative bodies, including the Pacific Alliance (PA), the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR) and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA). They will also discuss latest changes in the situation in Latin America and ways to respond to them.

o Vice Minister Kim will also pay a courtesy call on Colombian Foreign Minister Angela Holguin and make “sales diplomacy” efforts, including working toward the ratification of the ROK-Colombia FTA and strengthening cooperation in economy, trade, energy, resources and development.

4. Vice Minister Kim will visit Peru for the third leg of his trip. As a follow-up to the ROK-Peru Summit held on October 7 on the sidelines of the APEC Leaders’ Meeting, the Vice Minister will hold the Fourth ROK-Peru High-level Policy Consultation with Peru's Deputy Foreign Minister Rojas on October 18 and discuss in-depth ways to establish partnership for co-prosperity and shared growth, which was addressed during the Summit.

o Furthermore, as mentioned at the Summit, Vice Minister Kim will donate a replica of the Gilt-Bronze Incense Burner of Baekje to Peru’s Foreign Ministry as part of an event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the ROK and Peru. The Vice Minister will also attend a ceremony to exchange commemorative stamps jointly issued to mark the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. 


                      Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

*unofficial translation