Outcome of 20th Korea-Middle East Cooperation Forum

1. The 20th Korea-Middle East Cooperation Forum was held at the Shilla Hotel Seoul on Tuesday, November 26. It was co-hosted by the Korea-Arab Society, the Jeju Peace Institute, and the Middle East Council on Global Affairs of the State of Qatar with the co-sponsorship of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea and the State of Qatar.

* The Korea-Middle East Cooperation Forum is a 1.5-track event that has been held since 2003 to enhance mutual understanding and deepen practical cooperation between Korea and the Middle East. This year, the forum was attended by around 200 participants, including current and former officials from both regions, the Arab diplomatic corps in Korea, and representatives from the academia, the business sector, and youth.

2. In his congratulatory remarks, Kweon Ki-hwan, Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs, assessed that cooperation between Korea and the Middle East was reinforced significantly over the past two decades in various areas, including political affairs, economy and culture. He also emphasized that the two regions continue to work closely together not only in economy but also for international peace and security.

3. Deputy Minister Kweon expressed deep concern over the grave humanitarian crisis caused by current conflicts in the Middle East and emphasized the Korean government's commitment to continue efforts for long-term peace in the region. He also stated that North Korea's ongoing provocations and deployment of its troops to Russia pose a significant security threat to both the Korean Peninsula and the international community. He stated that he is confident that Middle Eastern countries would join efforts to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.

4. Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al-Misnad, Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, delivered video congratulatory remarks, in which she noted that the Korea-Middle East Cooperation Forum has established itself as a key platform for discussing ways to enhance cooperation between the two regions. Minister Al-Misnad expressed hopes that, despite the challenging situation in the Middle East, Korea and the Middle East will promote innovation, invest in sustainability, and foster global peace and prosperity together.

5. At the Forum, held in its 20th anniversary under the theme of "Korea and the Middle East: Past, Present, and Future Trajectories," discussions focused on the topics of cooperation in times of uncertainty, cooperation in the fields of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence, and deeper educational, cultural and people-to-people links between Korea and the Middle East.

6. In the roundtable session held on November 27, more than 20 experts from Korea and the Middle East, including Abdulaziz Mohammad Al-Horr, Director of the Diplomatic Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, discussed Qatar's mediation diplomacy, a topic of growing international interest.

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