Prime Minister Mark Brown has accepted an invitation from the Government of the Republic of Korea to attend the inaugural Republic of Korea-Pacific Islands Summit.

Brown will attend the Summit as the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and the chair of the Pacific Islands Forum chair.

He will co-chair with His Excellency Yoon Suk Yeol, President of the Republic of Korea, at the Summit to be held in Seoul, Republic of Korea from May 29 – 31.

In a statement, the Office of the Prime Minister said the delegation to the Republic of Korea includes PM Brown and his wife Daphne Hosking-Brown and Ngatangiia MP Tukaka Ama as well as two officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration.

The trip will be partially funded by the Government of the Republic of Korea, the statement says.

This Summit is the first Pacific Islands Leader Level Summit hosted by the Government of the Republic of Korea and will include two sessions – Korea-Pacific Islands Cooperation and Future Partnership and Regional Situation and Cooperation in the International Arena.

“The first session invites leaders to review Republic of Korea – Pacific Islands Forum relations and share views on the future direction of cooperation in fields of mutual interest such as development cooperation, economic recovery, climate change and disaster risk and resilience, ocean governance, maritime affairs and fisheries and people-to-people exchanges

“Above all, this session will provide a valuable opportunity to discuss concrete ways to deliver efficient and effective coordination between the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent of the Pacific Islands Forum and Korea’s Strategy for a Free, Peaceful and Prosperous Indo-Pacific Region.”

The second session provides leaders the opportunity to engage in in-depth discussions on issues within the region and areas for cooperation in the international arena.

There will also be opportunities for PM Brown to engage in a bilateral meeting with President Yoon Suk Yeol, Pacific Island leaders and other organisations and agencies in the Republic of Korea.