3 October :Bangladesh and the Republic of Korea have agreed to further strengthen their longstanding bilateral partnership, with particular emphasis on political, economic and defence cooperation.
Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir held separate meetings with Park Yoon-joo, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, and Lee Doo-hee, Vice Minister of National Defence, in Seoul on Friday. The meetings focused on issues of mutual interest and ways to expand cooperation between the two countries.
During his meeting with Vice Minister Park, State Minister Humayun Kabir conveyed Bangladesh’s readiness to work closely with the Korean government to further deepen the longstanding friendly relations between the two countries. He also handed over an invitation from Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time.
The State Minister praised South Korea’s transformation into a global economic and technological leader, noting that the country’s development experience continues to inspire Bangladesh. He expressed satisfaction with regular Foreign Office Consultations and other high-level exchanges between the two countries and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s support for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
Humayun Kabir welcomed progress towards concluding the Bangladesh–ROK Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and expressed hope that the agreement would be signed at an early date. He called for increased bilateral trade and investment, greater market access for Bangladeshi products and increased Korean investment in sectors including semiconductors, electronics, shipbuilding, light engineering, high-end ready-made garments, ICT and other technology-intensive industries.
He also highlighted opportunities for cooperation in agriculture, agro-processing, logistics, digital transformation, skills development and services. In this context, he sought Korean support for creating greater employment opportunities for Bangladeshi skilled and semi-skilled workers through the Employment Permit System.
Appreciating South Korea’s development partnership with Bangladesh, the State Minister sought enhanced cooperation in climate resilience, infrastructure development, human-resource development, technical and vocational education and digital technologies.
He expressed gratitude for Korea’s humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya refugees and sought continued Korean support for their early and sustainable repatriation to Myanmar. The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues and reaffirmed the importance of cooperation through multilateral forums.
In his separate meeting with Korean Vice Minister for National Defence Lee Doo-hee, Humayun Kabir discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation, including training, capacity building, UN peacekeeping and defence industry cooperation.
The State Minister appreciated Korea’s cooperation in training and capacity building for members of Bangladesh’s armed forces, police and civil defence services. He requested continued and expanded opportunities for specialised training and encouraged the Korean side to send military personnel to participate in specialised courses offered by the Bangladesh Armed Forces.
Humayun Kabir informed the Korean side that Bangladesh is in the process of establishing a defence industrial zone and invited Korean interest in exploring investment opportunities in the initiative. He said such cooperation could contribute to technology transfer, industrial collaboration and mutual economic benefits.
The Korean side welcomed Bangladesh’s interest in strengthening bilateral defence relations and expressed readiness to explore opportunities for greater cooperation in mutually agreed areas, including training, capacity building and UN peacekeeping.
The meetings reaffirmed the shared commitment of Bangladesh and the Republic of Korea to further consolidate their longstanding partnership and expand cooperation for mutual benefit.