SEOUL: Pakistan and South Korea on Wednesday agreed to further expand their bilateral relations and enhanced co-operation in different fields to strengthen their ties. This was agreed during a meeting of Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and his South Korean counterpart Kim Hwang-Sik here on Wednesday. The meeting was also attended by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Board of Investment Chairman Saleem H Mandviwalla and other officials.
Both the prime ministers discussed various options to further enhance their bilateral relations in the fields of infrastructure, education, human resources, mining, manpower, hydel project. South Korean Prime Minister told his Pakistani counterpart that his visit would take on the bilateral relations of the two countries to new level.
PM Gilani said Pakistan would also look into the aspects to ensure more facilities to the Korean investors in Pakistan who had already investing in different projects. He said the BoI Chairman had been asked to look into the matter for providing more facilities to the Korean investors. Both the leaders agreed that they would utilise the available potential in all the fields to further enhance bilateral relations and promote people to people and business to business ties.
Appreciating efforts and arrangements for holding successful Nuclear Security Summit by South Korea, Prime Minister Gilani congratulated the Prime Minister of South Korea. He said the platform of NSS provided a chance to the world leaders for exchanging views and it proved a meaningful summit.
The Korean Prime Minister thanked PM Gilani for his substantial contribution in the Nuclear Security Summit, and said the NSS also provided a chance to Prime Minister Gilani to meet many world leaders including US President Obama, leaders of Jordan, Turkey, Vietnam, and many others to discuss various issues. PM Gilani while referring to the Pakistanis working in South Korea said they were contributing in the economy of both the countries and playing vital role in promoting bilateral and friendly relations of the two countries.
Gilani also offered to hold Ghandara exhibition to project the ancient culture which had attraction for the South Korean due to strong religious affiliation. He also referred to his meetings with leading South Korean companies to discuss various options to promote investment in Pakistan and told his South Korean counterpart that those companies were very enthusiastic to increase their investment in Pakistan.
South Korean Prime Minister told Gilani that Korean companies had experience and edge in road, rail and hydro project areas and their experience could be benefit for Pakistan's development. Referring to progress made by South Korea in the last 50 years in different fields, the Korean Prime Minister said his country was ready to share the experience of his government for the benefit of Pakistan and improve its economy.
PM Gilani while referring to many projects being initiated by the Korean investors said BoI Chairman Saleem H Mandviwalla had been asked to look into the matter and ensured that the Korean investors should be provided necessary assistance in this regard.
He also thanked the South Korean government for extending assistance and help to Pakistan during previous floods and earthquake in Pakistan and especially for the rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons. The Korean Prime Minister told PM Gilani that Korea had been waiting anxiously to the visit of President Asif Ali Zardari to South Korea which was scheduled last year but postponed.