Korea-Colombia High-Level Policy Consultations... Enhancing Practical Cooperation in Trade, Investment, Health, and Defense

First High-Level Policy Consultation with Latin American Countries Since COVID-19

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 16th, Choi Jong-geon, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, held the 3rd Korea-Colombia High-Level Policy Consultation via video conference with Francisco Javier Echeverri Lara, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia.

This meeting is the first high-level policy consultation with a Latin American country held since the COVID-19 pandemic. Both sides broadly discussed ways to enhance practical cooperation in various fields in the post-COVID era, including ?trade and investment, ?health and medical care, ?information and communication technology (ICT) and science and technology, and ?eco-friendly and defense infrastructure.

Vice Minister Choi evaluated Colombia as the only Latin American country that participated in the Korean War and a key partner in Latin America, noting that the two countries have continuously developed practical cooperation based on their blood alliance relationship. He stated that since active diplomacy, such as phone calls between the two heads of state, has been conducted even during the COVID-19 situation, the cooperation relationship should continue to expand after COVID-19 as well.

Vice Minister Echeverri conveyed Colombian President Iv?n Duque's strong interest and will for the development of bilateral relations and expressed special gratitude for Korea's cooperation and solidarity in response to the COVID-19 crisis and recent hurricane damage.

Vice Minister Choi proposed concluding a health cooperation agreement between the two countries and Colombia's accession to the International Vaccine Institute [IVI] to develop COVID-19 response cooperation into a higher level of health cooperation, to which Vice Minister Echeverri responded that he would actively cooperate.

Furthermore, discussions on expanding trade were also brought to the table. Vice Minister Choi noted that the Korea-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which will enter its fourth year of enforcement next year, has greatly contributed to expanding trade between the two countries, and requested smooth cooperation so that Korea can join the Pacific Alliance, chaired by Colombia next year, as an associate member.

In response, Vice Minister Echeverri requested the expansion of Colombian agricultural exports to Korea through the free trade agreement, as well as increased Colombian investment as a foothold for Korean companies' entry into Latin America.

Vice Minister Choi emphasized that as a future growth engine after COVID-19, there is great potential for cooperation between the Korean government's Korean New Deal comprehensive policy and Colombian President Duque's ?Orange Economy and ?Pacto por Colombia policies, and stressed expanding practical cooperation in areas such as Colombia's digital transformation and eco-friendly infrastructure development. Vice Minister Echeverri welcomed Vice Minister Choi's proposal and hoped that various Colombian national projects, including customs modernization and the Bogota sewage treatment plant project, would be successfully carried out through the participation of Korean companies with excellent experience and technology.

Additionally, Vice Minister Echeverri evaluated the defense cooperation between the two countries, including the transfer of two decommissioned vessels from the Korean Navy, and expressed hope that it would develop into mutually beneficial defense industry cooperation such as technology transfer and joint production. Vice Minister Choi then expressed hope that consultations for the excavation of the remains of Colombian Korean War veterans, ahead of the 70th anniversary of Colombia's participation in the Korean War next year, would proceed swiftly, and that cooperation would expand in areas such as the construction of Colombian defense infrastructure facilities.

Meanwhile, Vice Minister Choi explained Korea's efforts for the 'Korean Peninsula Peace Process,' and Vice Minister Echeverri expressed support for this and also expressed gratitude for Korea's humanitarian aid to Venezuelan refugees in Colombia.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.