Deputy Minister Choi Jong-geon Talks with Canadian Deputy Foreign Minister... Consults on WTO Director-General Election

Discussion on Multilateral Cooperation in Forums such as WTO and OECD

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the morning of the 29th, Choi Jong-geon, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a phone call at the request of Marta Morgan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, exchanging views on ways to develop Korea-Canada relations, cooperation in response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), multilateral cooperation such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and regional situations of mutual interest.

Vice Minister Choi evaluated that the two countries have been closely cooperating bilaterally and multilaterally since the early outbreak of COVID-19, and stated that even amid the prolonged global COVID-19 pandemic, they will actively cooperate to strengthen practical cooperation such as economic and trade exchanges and human exchanges between the two countries.

Deputy Minister Morgan also assessed that the two countries have been closely cooperating multilaterally in COVID-19 response based on shared values through ministerial-level international consultative groups and the UN Health Security Friends Group, and that they have been actively communicating and cooperating at all levels, including heads of state, on a bilateral level. She expressed the intention to maintain close communication to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in economic and trade relations.

Following this, Vice Minister Choi requested Canada to positively consider joining the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), which is headquartered in Korea. Additionally, both sides held close consultations regarding the election of the WTO Director-General.

Both sides agreed to continue communication and cooperation on regional situations including the Korean Peninsula and bilateral and multilateral issues, while closely cooperating on various international multilateral platforms as strategic partners and like-minded countries on the international stage.