| MM Rahmatullah: Bangladesh and South Korea have reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations, with greater cooperation in trade, investment, development, technology and other high-value sectors emerging as key areas of focus.
South Korean Ambassador Kim Ji-joon made the remarks during a meeting with Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka on Wednesday.
During the meeting, the State Minister said Bangladesh attaches great importance to its longstanding and close relations with the Republic of Korea.
He highlighted the growing partnership between the two countries in trade, investment, development cooperation, human resource development and technology, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The two sides also discussed the State Minister’s upcoming visit to South Korea, where he is expected to hold talks with senior Korean officials and meet representatives of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
A significant diplomatic engagement is also expected during the visit, as the State Minister will convey an invitation from the Prime Minister of Bangladesh to the President of South Korea to visit Bangladesh.
Korean Ambassador Kim welcomed the initiative to personally convey the invitation, describing it as a positive step towards further strengthening relations between the two countries.
The State Minister said his forthcoming visit would help pave the way for more high-level engagements between Bangladesh and South Korea in the days ahead.
The meeting also placed particular emphasis on expanding economic ties between the two countries.
The State Minister welcomed the conclusion of negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), expressing hope that the agreement would contribute to further expansion of bilateral trade and investment.
The two sides discussed opportunities for increasing Korean investment in Bangladesh, particularly in technology-intensive and high-value sectors.
Technology, artificial intelligence (AI), shipbuilding and electronics were identified as areas with significant potential for greater Korean investment and cooperation.
Bangladesh has been seeking to attract more foreign investment in sectors that can generate employment, enhance technological capacity and strengthen the country`s industrial base. Greater Korean participation in such sectors could create opportunities for technology transfer, skills development and deeper integration between the two economies.
Ambassador Kim appreciated the growing Bangladesh-Korea partnership and expressed South Korea’s interest in further strengthening bilateral cooperation.
The discussions reflected the broader scope of Bangladesh-South Korea relations, which now extend beyond traditional areas of cooperation to emerging sectors involving advanced technology, artificial intelligence and high-value manufacturing.
The meeting ended with both sides reaffirming their commitment to deepening Bangladesh-Korea relations and expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
The upcoming visit of the State Minister to South Korea, coupled with the proposed invitation to the Korean President to visit Bangladesh, is expected to provide further opportunities for high-level dialogue and closer engagement between the two countries.
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