On February 6, Secretary-General Lim Byung-jin visited the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Japan and met with Ambassador Park Cheol-hee. During the meeting, Secretary-General Lim provided an overview of NEAR’s recent activities, and the participation status of Japanese member governments in NEAR activities. He also requested the embassy’s interest and support to encourage the Japanese member governments to actively participate in NEAR activities.
In response, Mr. Park stated that the meeting with Mr. Lim has been an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of NEAR. Regarding the issue of encouraging active participation from Japanese member governments, he proposed persuading Japanese governors by conducting briefings on NEAR at the Korea-Japan Governors' Meeting, which will be held in South Korea.
Mr. Park assumed his position as the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Japan in August 2024. He has previously served as the Director of the Institute of International Studies at Seoul National University and as the President of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy.