Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 29 January (BelTA) – Belarus is ready to take active steps towards closer trade and economic cooperation with the Republic of Korea, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko said during his meeting with Shin Gye-ryoon, member of the Strategy and Finance Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, Head of the Association of Friendship with Belarus at the Korean National Assembly, on 29 January, BelTA has learned.

Vladimir Andreichenko noted that much has been achieved over the 23 years of diplomatic relations between the two states. Belarus attaches special importance to further strengthening of ties with South Korea in all areas of mutual interest. The official pointed out that today the bilateral trade amounts to around $230 million per year, which ranks South Korea 32nd among Belarus’ trading partners. Vladimir Andreichenko emphasized that “Belarus is ready to take active steps in order to bolster the bilateral cooperation.”

The chairman of Belarus’ House of Representatives also noted that the Republic of Korea has recently started to implement investment projects in the territory of Belarus. “We welcomed the opening of an office of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency in Minsk, which became possible due to the active work of the South Korean Embassy. We also held a number of business forums. However, to be earnest, we still do not use our cooperation potential in full,” Vladimir Andreichenko stressed.

He added that Belarus has a strong fellow feeling for the Republic of Korea and its people. “We see that the role of your country has increased in the region and in the international arena,” Vladimir Andreichenko praised the considerable progress South Korea achieved in its social and economic development.

For his part, Shin Gye-ryoon thanked the Belarusian side for the warm welcome. He noted that the meetings with Nikolai Samoseiko, Chairman of the House of Representatives' Permanent Commission for International Affairs, and Oksana Nekhaichik, Deputy Chairwoman of the Permanent Commission for Human Rights, Ethnic Relations and Mass Media, head of the working group of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus on cooperation with South Korea's Parliament, held on 28 January were very fruitful.

Shin Gye-ryoon believes that Belarus and South Korea have potential for further strengthening the bilateral ties. “Both our countries are currently facing economic difficulties, and we need to decide what steps should be taken in order to further develop our cooperation and get out of the present economic crisis,” he noted. As for the most promising areas of cooperation, Shin Gye-ryoon singled out Belarus’ agriculture, machine building, and oil processing. “Belarus and South Korea can strengthen the bilateral cooperation in these fields, and we will continue looking for new cooperation areas,” he promised.