Duque, Moon pledge to boost digital, environmental, cultural ties
Seoul, Aug 25 (EFE).- The presidents of Colombia and South Korea pledged on Wednesday at a summit in Seoul to strengthen bilateral ties in the digital, environmental and cultural spheres.
Iván Duque and Moon Jae-in promised to promote “comprehensive and forward-looking cooperative” bilateral relations in a year that marks a decade since the two countries forged a “strategic partnership,” a joint statement issued at the end of the meeting said.
Next year will also mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
In the framework of their respective campaigns to promote digital transformation, sustainable growth policies and the adoption of the so-called fourth industrial revolution, the leaders proposed promoting partnerships to boost post-pandemic economic recovery.
They also agreed to strengthen cooperation in conservation and biodiversity, support to ecosystems, soil management and monitoring of air quality based on the memorandums of understanding that the environment ministries of the two countries are scheduled to sign, according to the statement.
Duque and Moon pledged to boost cooperation in policies for “adaptation and mitigation of climate change,” management of water resources and environmental education.
They also agreed to expand exchanges in educational and cultural sectors, such as film, music and taekwondo.
In this regard, Duque held a brief meeting early Wednesday with the president of the CJ conglomerate, which has set up the country’s largest entertainment company.
Colombian Minister of Culture Angélica Mayolo, who is accompanying Duque on his three-day state visit, tweeted that the delegation invited the company to shoot productions in the Latin American country, underlining the incentives and advantages of doing so.
During the presidential summit, Moon highlighted the fact that Colombia was the only Latin American country to provide support to Seoul in the Korean War (1950-53) and the two leaders agreed to expand projects to support Colombian veterans and their descendants.
They also pledged to implement the MoU signed by the defense ministries to cooperate in the search and repatriation of the remains of Colombian soldiers who died or disappeared during the war.
Duque is on a three-day state visit to the Asian country aimed at promoting economic and health cooperation. His visit will conclude on Thursday. EFE
asb/pd/tw
