1. On the afternoon of April 3, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha met with Minister of Economy and Planning of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohamed Al-Towaijri, who is on a visit to the Republic of Korea, and exchanged views on the ROK-Saudi Arabia relations, and ways to increase substantive cooperation.

2. The two Ministers took note that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1962, the ROK and Saudi Arabia have been steadily diversifying areas of cooperation ranging from infrastructure and energy to nuclear energy, national defense and the defense industry, and health and medical care. The Ministers also agreed to continue to discuss more concrete ways to step up substantive cooperation between the two countries through the 19th meeting of the ROK-Saudi Arabia Joint Committee (head delegates: ROK-Foreign Minister, Saudi Arabia-Minister of Economy and Planning), to be held in Saudi Arabia in the second half of the year.

o Minister Kang offered to continue to work together for a top-level meeting between the two countries to take place at an appropriate time, and Minister Al-Towaijri agreed to do so.

3. Minister Al-Towaijri expressed appreciation for the active cooperation that the ROK, as a strategic partner, was rendering on “Vision 2030,” Saudi Arabia’s ambitious economic reform plan, and requested the ROK side’s interest and support.

o Minister Kang said that the ROK, as Saudi Arabia’s strategic partner for “Vision 2030,” would actively support Saudi Arabia’s reform efforts, and hoped that the ROK government and companies would continue to contribute to his country’s efforts to realize reforms.

* unofficial translation