S. Korea holds FM talks with Sweden, Finland
South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong (L) talks with Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde in Brussels on Wednesday, in this picture from Chung’s ministry. (Chungs Ministry) |
South Korea’s top diplomat had one-on-one talks with his Swedish and Finnish counterparts in Brussels on bilateral relations, the war in Ukraine and affairs on the Korean Peninsula, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong is visiting to attend a meeting with NATO Foreign Ministers. He is the first South Korean foreign minister to join such a high-profile NATO session, as the country has been invited as an Asia-Pacific partner to the multilateral alliance.
In Chung’s talks with Sweden’s Foreign Minister Ann Linde on Wednesday (local time), the two sides agreed to expand the essential cooperation to areas such as information and communication technology (ICT) and startups, according to the ministry.
Chung then met with Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto and agreed to continue broadening partnerships in startups, the defense industry and the environment sector.
Haavisto expressed hope for an early launch of direct flights between Helsinki and South Korea’s port city of Busan, which has been delayed due to the covid-19 pandemic, the ministry added.
Mr Chung also briefed the Swedish and Finnish ministers on the security situation in Korea, and reaffirmed their support for Seoul’s efforts to resume dialogue with Pyongyang. They also exchanged views on the Ukraine issue. (Yonhap)