Yoon Holds Talks with Visiting Slovak Prime Minister
Adopts Joint Statement on 'Strategic Partnership'
Nuclear Power Discussion... 'Sales Diplomacy' Following Czech Republic
Shared Views on North Korea Denuclearization and August 15 Unification Doctrine
Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Anduk Geun and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Benisa Sakova are taking a commemorative photo after signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the establishment of the Trade and Investment Promotion Framework (TIPF) and comprehensive energy cooperation at the MOU signing ceremony held on the 30th at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul, attended by President Yoon Seok-yeol and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. [Photo by Yonhap News]
President Yoon Suk-yeol held talks with Robert Fico, Prime Minister of Slovakia, who is on an official visit to Korea on the 30th, and adopted a joint statement on the establishment of a 'strategic partnership.' Through this, the two countries agreed to engage in comprehensive cooperation in areas such as economic trade, science and medical fields, and security and defense. In the economic sector, they also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the establishment of a Trade and Investment Promotion Framework (TIPF), laying the foundation for cooperation in nuclear power and supply chains.
On the morning of the same day, President Yoon held a small-scale meeting and an expanded meeting with Prime Minister Fico at the Yongsan Presidential Office to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries. Through the talks, Korea and Slovakia adopted a joint statement establishing a 'strategic partnership.' In the joint statement, the two leaders agreed to elevate bilateral relations by establishing a strategic partnership that encompasses the most important current and future areas of cooperation.
Slovakia is classified as one of the Visegr?d Group countries along with the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary. It is reemerging as a hub for advanced industries in Europe and is a key region for Korea's entry into the European market. Following his recent official visit to the Czech Republic, President Yoon accelerated his 'sales diplomacy' by holding talks with the Slovak Prime Minister as well.
First, the two countries agreed to maximize the use of institutional foundations such as the Korea-Slovakia Economic Cooperation Agreement and the Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to expand trade and investment. Specifically, they will cooperate in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), electronics, green technology, robotics, nuclear power, hydrogen, and renewable energy technologies. Additionally, they signed an MOU on the establishment of the TIPF to support corporate entry in trade, investment, industry, and supply chain sectors between the two countries.
The trade volume between Korea and Slovakia steadily increased to about 4 billion USD as of last year. A total of 143 Korean companies have entered Slovakia, mainly in the automobile and home appliance sectors, with many partners such as Kia Motors and Samsung Electronics. The Presidential Office explained, "Under the trend of increasing trade volume between the two countries, they confirmed their intention to expand mutually beneficial and stable trade and investment."
President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the Korea-Slovakia expanded meeting held on the 30th at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
In particular, the two countries signed an MOU on 'comprehensive energy cooperation' on the same day, laying the foundation for expanding cooperation in energy and science and technology fields. Based on a consensus on climate change, they plan to cooperate in areas such as nuclear power, renewable energy, and hydrogen. Since Slovakia approved a new nuclear power plant construction plan in May, it is expected that discussions related to nuclear power orders by the 'Team Korea' also took place on this day. Korea has been striving to expand its entry into the European market since being selected as the preferred negotiator for the Dukovany nuclear power project in the Czech Republic in July.
On the same day, the two leaders also exchanged views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula and North Korea policy. They shared strong concerns about North Korea's unstable actions and North Korea-Russia military cooperation, and agreed on the complete denuclearization of North Korea, improvement of North Korean human rights, and resolution of issues related to abductees, detainees, and unrepatriated Korean War prisoners of war. The Presidential Office stated, "Slovakia expressed support for our government's 'Bold Initiative' and the '8.15 Unification Doctrine.'"
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