Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yeol seeks ways to expand cooperation between Korea and Latin America

  Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yeol invited the Latin American Diplomatic Corps in Korea (GRULAC*) to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on May 20 (Monday) for a tea meeting, explained the basics of our policy towards South America, and exchanged opinions on ways to expand cooperation between Korea and Latin America.

* Group of Latin America and the Caribbean

※ Participating countries: Heads of missions from 17 Central and South American countries, including Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Venezuela, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Uruguay, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru

  Minister Cho said that he was pleased to have his first tea meeting with the diplomatic corps in Korea to strengthen friendly relations with the diplomatic corps in Korea since taking office, and that he was happy to have a meeting with Central and South America, a major destination for Korean companies. Looking back on the relationship between Korea and Central and South America, which began with Mexican immigration in 1905, Central and South America has always been He emphasized that he was a grateful friend who showed true friendship and solidarity by Korea’s side.

  In addition, Minister Cho said that Central and South America is a continent that was supported by all countries during the Korean War, and based on this solid friendly relationship, exchanges and cooperation between Korea and Latin America have recently expanded to new fields such as defense industry, aerospace, and electric and hydrogen vehicles. evaluated that it exists.

  In particular, Minister Cho said that our diplomatic network with South America was completed with the establishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba, the only country in Latin America with diplomatic ties, last February, and expressed hope to continue to expand mutually beneficial and future-oriented cooperation with the Central and South American region.

   In this sense, the Korea-Latin America Future Cooperation Forum scheduled to be held in June will be a good opportunity to explore various ways of cooperation between Korea and the Latin American region, and the G20 and APEC summits to be held in South America in November will be used to further expand mutual cooperation. He said he hoped to be able to do so.

  Meanwhile, Panamanian Ambassador Kosmas, head of the Latin American Diplomatic Corps in Korea, expressed gratitude for inviting the Central and South American region to the first regional group diplomatic corps tea meeting through a visit. Ambassador Cosmas emphasized that Latin America, a market with a population of 600 million people, is a region with great potential for cooperation in food and resource security, and expressed hope that Korea and Latin America will continue to expand cooperation based on their complementary economic structures.

   The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to continue to discover cooperative projects through regional communication with the diplomatic corps in Korea.

Editor. Peter