Minister Kang Kyung-wha Talks with Kyrgyzstan Foreign Minister... Requests Support for Director Yoo Myung-hee

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha attended the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee plenary meeting held at the National Assembly on the 25th and responded to questions from lawmakers. At the meeting, Minister Kang provided a briefing on the recent incident involving a government official shot near Soyeonpyeongdo by North Korea. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the afternoon of the 26th, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha held a phone call with Chinggiz Aidarbekov, Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan, exchanging views on responses to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and ways to develop bilateral relations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 28th.

The two ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation so that the COVID-19 situations in Korea and Kyrgyzstan improve and exchanges between the two countries can be normalized. In response, Minister Aidarbekov expressed special gratitude for the various support provided by the Korean government to help Kyrgyzstan overcome COVID-19, including humanitarian aid and election capacity-building projects.

Minister Kang requested support for Yoo Myung-hee, the Chief Trade Negotiator who advanced to the second round of the next World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General election, and Minister Aidarbekov stated that for Kyrgyzstan, which has a high dependence on trade, electing a capable WTO Director-General is important.

The two ministers also agreed to further strengthen practical cooperation through various cooperation channels such as the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum and to closely cooperate in responding to COVID-19.