Hanoi (VNA) – Senior diplomats from the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Thailand have agreed to expand cooperation in defence and the defence industry, pledging to work closely to address transnational crimes, including online scams.
The RoK’s First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo met with Eksiri Pintaruchi, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, on November 26 for the bilateral strategic dialogue, where the two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing the partnership, the RoK foreign ministry said in a press release.
Noting steady progress in bilateral relations since the launch of the new governments in both countries, the ministers agreed to pursue “future-oriented cooperation” that can bring practical benefits to their citizens, in such fields as artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
They also committed to expanding partnership in defence and the defence industry, and to seek ways to work together in addressing transnational crimes, including online scams and narcotics-related offences, while maintaining close communication to strengthen international coordination, including with ASEANAPOL, the ministry said.
ASEANAPOL is the regional platform for law enforcement agencies of the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to share intelligence and conduct joint operations.
The two sides also concurred on the importance of concluding ongoing negotiations on the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and pledged to work together toward this goal.
Park requested Thailand’s support in resolving difficulties faced by RoK companies operating in the Southeast Asian country, such as regulatory restrictions and local hiring requirements. Eksiri, in turn, said her country would consider the issues, noting that Thailand values attracting foreign investment.
The meeting also covered regional and global issues, including the situation on the Korean Peninsula and cooperation between the RoK and ASEAN./.
