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The two leaders discussed prospects for promoting bilateral relations, in particular trade and economic cooperation, as well as current regional issues.

A package of documents has been signed during the South Korean President’s visit to Russia and his attendance of the Eastern Economic Forum.

An intergovernmental agreement on the establishment of a direct encrypted communications link between Russia and the Republic of Korea has been signed.

The parties also signed a memorandum on the participation of the Republic of Korea as a partner country in the 9^th International Industrial Trade Fair INNOPROM 2018 and memorandums of understanding and cooperation between Russian organisations and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA). The concerned agencies of the two countries have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in innovations and a protocol of intent on cooperation in professional medical education. The parties also signed documents on the implementation of the Russian-Korean initiative for financial cooperation in the development of the Far East and on the creation of a fish processing and logistics complex in the Russian Far East.

Several other documents on practical aspects of cooperation between various Russian and Korean organisations have also been signed.

Vladimir Putin and Moon Jae-in made statements for the press following their talks.

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Beginning of talks with President of South Korea Moon Jae-in

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President, colleagues, welcome to Vladivostok.

I would like to thank you for accepting our invitation and attending the Eastern Economic Forum in Russia.

We had a telephone conversation yesterday. I welcome this opportunity to meet with you in person and to discuss issues of concern to us, in particular the recent situation with the North Korean nuclear and missile programme. I am also glad to be able to discuss bilateral relations, primarily economic ties, with you.

I would like to begin by saying that a minor decline of 16.6 percent last year has given way to a nearly 50 percent increase in bilateral trade in the first half of this year. But we can do better, of course.

I hope to be able to discuss all these issues today. Welcome.

President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in (retranslated): Mr President, I would like to begin by thanking you for the invitation to attend the third Eastern Economic Forum, to which you, Mr President, attach much significance.

We have talked a great deal with you recently, exchanging opinions by telephone and meeting several times in a short period of time. I think that this has made us very close.

Mr President, we are of a similar age and have many things in common. There are many similarities in life. And this makes me feel that we are very close.

I would like to point out that here are many common elements and points of contact between your policy for the development of the [Russian] Far East and my policy, the New Northern Policy. I would say that you and I share a dream. I believe that South Korea is the best partner for Russia in the development of the Far East. If we promote our cooperation, we will bring prosperity not only to the Far East but to the region as a whole.

I want to use my term as president to move Korean-Russian ties to a fundamentally new level, and I pin great hopes in this respect to our meeting today. I hope we will have fruitful talks.

I would like to remind you that the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia has been seriously complicated by the ongoing North Korean provocations. Unless North Korea stops its provocations, the situation can become unpredictable.

In this context, I would like to exchange opinions with you on ways to end North Korean provocations and to find solutions to the related problems.

Once again, thank you for creating this opportunity to exchange opinions.

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