3rd FMCDhaka, Seoul agree to elevate comprehensive partnership

Bangladesh and South Korea on Thursday agreed to explore ways to elevate their comprehensive partnership to the next level to mark the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

At the third Foreign Ministry Consultations (FMC) held at State guesthouse Padma, the two countries also agreed to deepen cooperation in trade and investment, infrastructure development, human resources development, defence, agriculture, fisheries and biotechnology, and regional and global issues of common interest and concern, including global peace and security, climate change.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and First Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Korea Choi Jong Kun led their respective delegation at the consultations.

Highly praising Bangladesh's development successes including graduation from LDC under the astute leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Korean vice-minister assured to continue their development cooperation in Bangladesh's priority sectors.

South Korea also agreed to extend cooperation in diverse areas, including capacity building in frontier technology and cyber security, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), shipbuilding, and clean energy.

Momen assured to extend all necessary cooperation to further promote Korean investments in Bangladesh.

The Consultations reviewed at length the entire gamut of bilateral relations.

Both sides agreed to explore high political-level visits to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between the two countries in 2023 along with organising befitting complementary programmes in each other's capital to further promote people-to-people contacts.

Bangladesh assured to continue strong support to all international measures for denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and deeply appreciated Republic of Korea's continued engagement with SAARC and IORA and expected Korea's robust engagements with IORA, particularly in the areas of blue economy and digital transformation.

South Korea highly lauded Bangladesh's contributions to global peace and security and its leadership role in global climate change issues.

Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in UN Peacekeeping and peace building operations as well as green growth initiative, particularly in the development of clean energy and advancement of green technology.

Bangladesh appreciated Korean government's humanitarian support for the Rohingyas temporarily sheltered in Bangladesh and urged the international community, including the Korean government, to contribute to bringing in a peaceful resolution of the protracted Rohingya crisis for the security and development in the region.

Bangladesh Ambassador to South Korea Delwar Hossain, Director General (East Asia & Pacific) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kazi Russel Pervez and representatives from different ministries also joined the Consultations.