ROK and Latin America to Hold their 2nd Seminar on Security Cooperation

The Foreign Ministry, together with the Korea Correctional Service under the Ministry of Justice, will host the Second (2013) ROK-Latin America Seminar on Security Cooperation in Seoul on June 24. The event is designed for the ROK to support Latin America’s efforts to address its security issue, one of the key issues in the region, and for the ROK and Latin America to seek ways to expand cooperation on security and other matters.

The Seminar was first held last year with heads of correctional agencies from five Latin American countries in attendance. At the upcoming Second Seminar, such officials from eight Latin American countries will engage in discussions on ways for the ROK and their countries to promote cooperation in the field of correction, the key to improving the security situation.

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se will host a working luncheon for the Latin American officials. On the occasion, the Minister will reaffirm the willingness of the ROK to take an active part in Latin America’s efforts to improve its security situation and seek ways to increase bilateral cooperation.

The Seminar will also bring together key relevant government officials of the ROK, including First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kyou-hyun and Commissioner of the Korea Correctional Service Kim Tae-hoon, foreign diplomats stationed in the ROK, and Korean experts on Latin America and correction affairs. The participants will take the opportunity to learn more about mutual correctional system and discuss ways to boost exchanges and cooperation in the correction field.

The security situation has posed a number of challenges to Latin America: The region has seen a decrease in foreign direct investment and corporate operations and shouldered growing financial burdens to maintain security, which, in turn, has left the region with little financial resources available for socio-economic development.

The ROK’s participation in Latin American countries’ efforts to address their security issue, one of their key pending issues, demonstrates the Park Geun-hye government’s willingness to work with Latin America toward co-prosperity. In view of the fact that a safe environment for everyone to live in is indispensable in the era of happiness for the global village, the Seminar can be considered a meaningful step forward.

The Seminar is expected to serve as an opportunity to build a cooperative network between correctional agencies of the ROK and Latin America and strengthen the foundation for the protection of some 27,000 Koreans and 1,900 Korean companies in Latin America.