Yoon Meets Ministers from 6 Caribbean Countries: "Friends to Share the Journey Ahead"

Attending Korea-Caribbean High-Level Forum
Also Requesting Support for Busan World Expo Bid

On the afternoon of the 10th, President Yoon Suk-yeol met with ministerial-level officials from six countries who visited Korea to attend the 13th Korea-Caribbean High-Level Forum.

The event held at the Yongsan Presidential Office was attended by Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Jamaica; Albert Ramchand Ramdin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business, and International Cooperation of Suriname; Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change, and Disaster Management of Belize; Andy Williams, Minister of Mobilization, Implementation, and Innovation of Grenada; Everly Paul Chet Green, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Trade, and Barbuda Affairs of Antigua and Barbuda; and Rodolfo Sabonge, Secretary-General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS).

President Yoon said, "Although Caribbean countries are geographically distant, they are long-time friends who share universal values of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law, and will journey together into the future."

He also mentioned that during bilateral meetings held with many Caribbean countries on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last September, they discussed cooperation in areas such as climate change, food security, and IT, adding, "Let us work together to ensure that cooperation between the two regions is pursued more substantively."

He requested support from the Caribbean countries for the bid to host the 2030 Busan World Expo. The officials expressed their anticipation for their visit to Busan on the 11th and said, "We hope for good results from Korea's efforts," according to the Presidential Office.

President Yoon and the visiting officials evaluated that since its establishment in 2011, the Korea-Caribbean High-Level Forum has been held annually and has actively discussed cooperation measures in fields such as green growth, health, and public safety.