South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol held a series of bilateral meetings with the leaders of Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines and Singapore on Thursday as he sought to expand cooperation and win support for South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan.
The meetings were held on the margins of annual summits involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and included Yoon's first meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, who took office last month.
The presidential office said the two agreed to actively use the South Korea-Cambodia free trade agreement that took effect last December and a customs agreement signed in April to further increase bilateral trade that reached a record US$1.05 billion last year.
Yoon stressed that North Korea's recent launches of what it claims are satellites are a clear violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions and requested the prime minister's attention and support for the international community's firm response to the North's nuclear and missile development and provocations.
He also asked for Cambodia's support for South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in its southeastern city of Busan.
In his meeting with Laotian Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Yoon said South Korea will continue to be a reliable partner in Laos' economic development, while the prime minister voiced hope for South Korea's contributions in the areas of cutting-edge technology and digital transitions.
Yoon also met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and expressed his commitment to expanding cooperation in the digital and green technology fields. The two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation on the international stage, including through a firm and united response to North Korea's provocations.
Meanwhile, in Yoon's meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., the two leaders agreed to boost practical cooperation in areas such as supply chains, arms and nuclear energy.
They later attended a signing ceremony for a free trade agreement between their countries.
Source: Yonhap News Agency