S. Korean FM meets with Vatican, Latvian diplomats to seek support for N.K. denuclearization

SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha met with the top diplomats of the Vatican and Latvia in New York to seek their support for the denuclearization of North Korea, Seoul's foreign ministry said Saturday.

Kang, who is attending the 73rd United Nations General Assembly, met with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States, in New York on Friday (local time) and expressed gratitude for Pope Francis' messages regarding peace of the Korean Peninsula.

Pope Francis has so far released nine messages on the Korean Peninsula, including a message expressing support for the inter-Korean summit.

Kang and Gallagher also talked about the 3rd inter-Korean summit held in Pyongyang last week. Gallagher said the South Korean government's will to lead North Korea's denuclearization process and make progress in inter-Korean relations is important, according to the foreign ministry.

Kang then met with Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics and checked whether the agreements made in the South Korea-Latvia summit in Seoul in February are being carried out.

The two ministers agreed that both sides have significant potential for cooperation in the information technology sector, and vowed to boost exchanges in that area.

Kang also explained the situation of the Korean Peninsula along with the result of the third inter-Korean summit to Rinkevics, who expressed his support for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

After their meeting, Kang and Rinkevics signed a South Korea-Latvia aviation accord that will expand trade and exchange between the two countries, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

kdon@yna.co.kr
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