Kim Geon, Deputy Minister, at Korea-Finland Policy Consultation... Urges Continued Support for Korea's North Korea Policy

Strengthening Multilateralism, International Organization Cooperation, and Close Global Coordination on COVID-19 Response and Other Worldwide Issues

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 18th, Kim Geon, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, held the 10th Korea-Finland Policy Consultation via video conference with Kai Sauer, Deputy Minister for Foreign and Security Policy of the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and conducted in-depth discussions on △bilateral relations △the Korean Peninsula and regional situation △cooperation on the international stage △and response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Both sides evaluated that despite the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 situation, cooperation has been taking place in innovative fields such as startups, science and technology, and information and communications based on the agreements made during President Moon Jae-in's state visit to Finland in June last year, and agreed to continue cooperation in areas such as aviation, human exchange, and defense industry.

They also exchanged views on the regional situation including the Korean Peninsula, Europe, Northeast Asia, and Afghanistan. Deputy Minister Kim explained the recent situation on the Korean Peninsula and requested Finland to continue supporting the South Korean government's North Korea policy for the permanent peace settlement on the Korean Peninsula.

Both sides also agreed to continue cooperation on the stabilization and development of Afghanistan through international conferences such as the '2020 Afghanistan Conference' jointly hosted by Finland on the 23rd and 24th. The Afghanistan Conference is a biennial high-level meeting discussing international community support policies for Afghanistan, and this year's conference was co-hosted by the Finnish government, the Afghan government, and the UN.

They agreed to closely cooperate on global issues such as strengthening multilateralism, cooperation with international organizations, and response to COVID-19. Deputy Minister Kim stated, "Korea and Finland are closely cooperating, including a summit-level phone call in April to respond to the COVID-19 situation," and evaluated that "especially through cooperation at the United Nations (UN) and the World Health Organization (WHO) levels, and Finland's membership in the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), international health cooperation is being strengthened."

In response, Deputy Minister Sauer said, "Based on similar positions on international issues, let us contribute together to strengthening multilateralism through cooperation with international organizations such as the UN," and Deputy Minister Kim proposed strengthening cooperation for the successful hosting of the 'P4G Summit for Green Growth and Global Goals 2030' scheduled to be held in Korea next year.

A Foreign Ministry official explained, "This 10th Korea-Finland Policy Consultation was held for the first time in over five years since the 9th meeting in 2015, providing an important opportunity for bilateral diplomatic and security policy coordination," and added, "Along with the holding of the Economic Joint Committee and the Science and Technology Joint Committee, it is highly significant that the foundation for a multifaceted cooperation system with Finland in the three fields of diplomacy and security, economy, and science and technology has been strengthened."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.