Jin Park Attends MIKTA Foreign Ministers Meeting of Five Middle Powers... Discusses Ukraine and Food Issues

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The middle-power group of five countries including South Korea, known as MIKTA (Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, T?rkiye (formerly Turkey), and Australia), discussed the situation in Ukraine and food security issues on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Bali, Indonesia.

On the afternoon of the 7th, Foreign Minister Park Jin attended the MIKTA Foreign Ministers' Meeting at a resort in Bali along with Mevl?t ?avu?o?lu, Foreign Minister of T?rkiye, Marcelo Ebrard, Foreign Minister of Mexico, Retno Marsudi, Foreign Minister of Indonesia, and Penny Wong, Foreign Minister of Australia.

MIKTA, launched in September 2013 during the UN General Assembly, is a gathering of middle powers and regional powers with influence in their respective areas.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MIKTA foreign ministers shared updates on each country's support, including mediation between Russia and Ukraine and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and discussed joint humanitarian support measures within MIKTA.

The MIKTA foreign ministers agreed to explore practical cooperation measures at the MIKTA level to contribute to food security and migration issues, which have recently emerged as major international concerns.

Within MIKTA, although South Korea and Australia, as U.S. allies, have joined sanctions against Russia, and T?rkiye has acted as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine, their positions and stances differ; however, they share a common understanding of the serious problems in the international community caused by the Ukraine war.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "While aligning with countries holding similar positions, it was also an opportunity to continuously listen to how other countries view the Ukraine situation and discuss how to resolve this issue."

The official also noted that amid the growing division in the international community depending on regions, "It is increasingly important for countries with differing positions to come together and continue dialogue," emphasizing that MIKTA's importance has actually increased compared to before.

T?rkiye, which has held the MIKTA chairmanship since March this year for one year, is reportedly proposing to hold a MIKTA summit-level meeting on the occasion of the next G20 summit. South Korea has expressed a positive stance toward considering this proposal.