First Meetings of the U.S.- Korea Trade Agreement Environmental Affairs Council and U.S.-Korea Environmental Cooperation Agreement Environmental Cooperation Commission

The United States and the Republic of Korea will hold the first U.S. – Korea Environmental Affairs Council meeting and the first Environmental Cooperation Commission meeting on February 14, 2013. The press is invited to attend the public session of the meetings at the U.S. Department of State’s Harry S Truman Building in Room 1105.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Judith Garber of the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and Jennifer Prescott, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Environment and Natural Resources will co-chair the Environmental Affairs Council and Principal Deputy Assistant Garber will also chair the Environmental Cooperation Commission for the United States.

Director General Yoo Yeon-Chul of the International Cooperation Office of the Korean Ministry of Environment will chair the Environmental Affairs Council and the Environmental Cooperation Commission for Korea.

The public session of the Environmental Affairs Council meeting and the Environmental Cooperation Commission meeting is open for press coverage from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Due to space limitations, only writers and stills may attend the public sessions. Press may begin arriving at 1:30 p.m. at the 23rd Street entrance. Final access time is at 1:45 p.m.

Media representatives may attend the public session upon presentation of one of the following: (1) a U.S. government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense, or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo ID card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying employment as a journalist and an official photo identification (driver’s license or passport). Press should allow adequate time to process through security.

For more information, please contact: Ellen Dunlap, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, by e-mail to DunlapEM@state.gov, fax to (202) 647-6876, or telephone (202) 647-2061.