Trade, investment: Pakistan, South Korea explore avenues of further cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Republic of Korea Wednesday held consultations to explore avenues for further cooperation in all domains including the exchange of high-level visits, trade and investment, education, science and technology, defence and cultural cooperation.

The two sides, according to a statement of the Foreign Office, held 11th round of the Foreign Secretary level Bilateral Political Consultations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Pakistan side was led by Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood, while the Korean side was headed by Choi Jong Kun, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.

It stated that the whole range of bilateral relations as well as regional and multilateral issues of mutual interests were discussed.

The two sides also explored avenues for further cooperation in all domains including the exchange of high level visits, trade and investment, education, science and technology, defence, cultural cooperation and people-to-people interaction, it added.

The foreign secretary shared Pakistan’s perspective on the evolving situation in Afghanistan and underscored the importance of continued and positive engagement of the international community with Afghanistan, in order to promote lasting peace and stability and to address the serious humanitarian situation in the country.

It added that the Korean side thanked the government of Pakistan in facilitating the evacuation of Korean nationals and others from Afghanistan.

The two sides exchanged views on the situation in their respective regions.

The foreign secretary briefed the Korean delegation on Pakistan’s assessment of the external environment in South Asia and the situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), including grave human rights violations and illegal attempts to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory.

The Korean side briefed on the recent developments in the Korean Peninsula.

Cooperation in multilateral fora including on the UN Security Council reform process also came under discussion, it added.

“Pakistan and the Republic of Korea enjoy friendly and cordial ties. The two sides have been collaborating closely at various forums including the United Nations,” the statement added.

Furthermore, it added that there has been regular participation by the Korean peacekeepers in the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), which is highly appreciated by Pakistan.

It was agreed to hold the next 12th round of Bilateral Political Consultations in Seoul in the first half of 2022.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021