ROK-New Zealand Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on July 15

1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul had a luncheon meeting with Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand, on Monday, July 15. In the meeting, they exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, including high-level exchanges and substantive cooperation in the fields such as the economy, as well as the situation on the Korean Peninsula and key regional issues.

2. Minister Cho emphasized that New Zealand is a longstanding friend which sent troops to help the ROK during the Korean War and that the two countries, as like-minded countries with shared values, have maintained close communication and cooperation. Minister Peters also emphasized the critical importance of shared efforts among like-minded countries amid the current challenges posed to the rules-based international order, and affirmed that New Zealand places great importance on relations with Korea, including the development of cooperative ties. Furthermore, the two Ministers exchanged views on ways to promote economic and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

3. The two Ministers acknowledged the ongoing close high-level exchanges between the two countries, including today's Korea-New Zealand Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which follows the Korea-Japan-Australia-New Zealand Leaders' Meeting (July 11, Washington), hosted by New Zealand on the occasion of last week's NATO Summit. They agreed to continue close communication, including exchanges at the summit level.

4. Regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula, the two Ministers concurred that North Korea's ongoing provocations and deepening ties with Russia pose a threat not only to the Korean Peninsula but also to global peace and stability and that it is important for the international community to cooperate closely and make a united response. In this regard, the two Ministers noted that the Joint Statement issued by the Leaders of the four countries -- the Republic of Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand -- on the sidelines of the NATO Summit, sent a strong warning to Russia and North Korea and expressed the united will of the international community. They agreed to continue to work closely together.

5. The two Ministers shared a common understanding that both countries embrace a vision of peace and stability, prosperity and resilience, and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. They agreed to continue to explore areas of cooperation.

6. Furthermore, the two Ministers discussed their engagement efforts in the Indo-Pacific, African and Central Asian regions. They expressed shared concerns about the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, and agreed to further strengthen solidarity such as by continuing humanitarian assistance to those regions.