1. On March 13, Chung Keeyong, Ambassador and Deputy Minister for Climate Change at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, had a bilateral meeting with Nakamura Ryo, Director-General for Global Issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, at the MOFA headquarters in Tokyo. During the meeting, they exchanged views on key topics, including general reflections on the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and priorities for this year’s COP. They also shared views on 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as well as outlooks for global plastics talks.

2. Both sides agreed that, despite recent developments in the international climate regime, it is necessary for governments, multilateral development banks and private sectors to contribute actively to efforts to scale up financing to at least USD 1.3 trillion per year by 2035 as agreed at COP29, in order to maintain the global momentum for climate action.

3. The two Ambassadors also shared the view that the next round of NDCs will serve as an important indicator of global climate ambition, and underscored the importance of submitting ambitious targets. Ambassador Chung outlined the Republic of Korea's ongoing efforts for the preparation for its 2035 NDC and emphasized its commitment to presenting an ambitious yet realistic target.

4. In addition, the two sides acknowledged the differences in positions among participating countries regarding the Plastics Treaty negotiations. They concurred on the need for close cooperation between the Republic of Korea and Japan to seek common ground and to move the talks forward.

5. Following the meeting, Ambassador Chung met with Takeuchi Kazuhiko, President of the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), to discuss the role of private research institutes in addressing climate change and environmental pollution. They also explored potential areas for future cooperation among the Republic of Korea, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), and the IGES.

6. Ambassador Chung is participating in the 23rd Informal Meeting on Further Actions against Climate Change (Japan-Brazil Climate Dialogue) underway in Tokyo from March 13 to 14. During the event, he is exchanging views with other participating countries and presenting Korea's position on key climate issues.