Seoul: Vice foreign ministers of South Korea and New Zealand met in Seoul on Thursday to explore cooperation in energy and other areas of mutual interest amidst the ongoing Middle East conflict, as reported by Seoul's foreign ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo and New Zealand's Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Bede Corry exchanged perspectives on key regional and international issues. The discussions covered the Middle East conflict, developments on the Korean Peninsula, and issues related to Pacific island countries.
Park highlighted the significance of the meeting, noting that it marked the first high-level consultation between the two countries' foreign ministries since the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership last year.
Corry pointed out that South Korea is New Zealand's largest supplier of refined petroleum products, underscoring the need for close coordination on energy supply issues amid the Middle East crisis. He also stressed the importance of maintaining close communication between like-minded countries in the face of global uncertainties, according to the ministry.