The future of Korea Japan China trilateral cooperation envisioned by their youths

- "11th Diplomatic Camp for Korean, Japanese and Chinese College Students" Takes Place from July 16 to 19 -

1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the "11th Diplomatic Camp for Korean, Japanese and Chinese College Students" in Seoul and Busan from July 16 to 19. Approximately 40 college students from the three countries participated in the camp. After attending the opening ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 16, they moved to Busan and participated in various programs such as presentations on trilateral cooperation ideas, drafting a trilateral youth declaration, cultural activities and the closing ceremony.

2. In his opening remarks, Kim Sang-hoon, Director-General for Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mentioned that trilateral cooperation started with the "relationship" built at the breakfast meeting among the leaders of the three countries on the occasion of the ASEAN Plus Three Summit in 1999. He went on to express his hope that the participants who form a relationship with each other at this camp would continue their friendships beyond nationality.

3. In his video congratulatory remarks, Lee Hee-sup, Secretary General of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS), emphasized that trust and friendship promoted through people-to-people exchanges is the foundation for trilateral cooperation, and noted with appreciation that the Diplomatic Camp has established itself as a meaningful platform for trilateral youth exchanges.

4. In the trilateral youth declaration released at the closing ceremony on July 19, the participants expressed their commitment to pursue concrete forms of cooperation with a shared vision and goal through mutual exchanges, as leaders representing the youth of the three countries. Furthermore, they stated that they will contribute to enhancing the international standing of the three countries in the global era through continued communication.

5. Participants appreciated the Diplomatic Camp as a useful opportunity for the three countries' students to engage in exchanges. They added that such programs as discussions and cultural activities during the Diplomatic Camp helped them discover common grounds beyond their linguistic and cultural backgrounds and thereby establish a close relationship with each other. They also hoped that youth of the three countries would continue to communicate among them through people-to-people exchange programs such as the Diplomatic Camp.

6. The Diplomatic Camp for Korean, Japanese and Chinese College Students, which was first held in 2012 and marked its eleventh this year, has served as a venue for fostering understanding and interest of the three countries' college students regarding trilateral cooperation and for promoting exchanges and communication among them. This year's Diplomatic Camp came as part of the efforts to facilitate exchanges among younger generations of the three countries as agreed at the ninth Trilateral Summit held in late May.

7. Going forward, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to provide venues for active exchanges among youth of the three countries in an effort to strengthen the foundation for future trilateral cooperation.