KARACHI: The Consul General of Republic of Korea (ROK) in Karachi Yi Sung-ho has said that Korea and Pakistan have maintained close relations in many areas. He said the mutual trade and cooperation between the two countries goes back to decades when Pakistan assisted Korea with its 5 Year Development Plan.
He was speaking at a reception organized by the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea at Karachi at a local hotel on Friday evening. Sindh Governor Muhammad Kamran Khan Tessori attended the reception as the chief guest. A cake cutting ceremony was also held to mark the 4355th anniversary of National Foundation Day of Korea.
“We are gathered here to mark the 4355th anniversary of National Foundation Day of Korea. It is the day when Dangun, our national father, spread the ideology of widely benefits people, and opened the sky for Korean people,” Yi Sung-ho said.
The Korean Consul General said this year marks the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and Pakistan. Since the establishment of diplomatic relationship in 1983, Korea and Pakistan have maintained close relations in many areas.
He said Pakistan assisted Korea with its 5 Year Development Plan and in return, Korean government is contributing to the social and economic development of Pakistan via economic development cooperation fund (soft loan) or official development assistance (grant aid). This year, approximately $48 million is being spent on 12 projects.
At present, over 30 Korean companies are already operating in Pakistan, and more companies are looking to enter Pakistan, he said. Under the employment permit system yearly 4,000 Pakistan people can get jobs in Korea. Global Korea scholarship enables many Pakistani students to study in Korea year for higher education, he added.
He said Korean people have continued their history for half of millennium, overcoming numerous trials with a strong spirit and indomitable will to become the Republic of Korea today.
It has achieved a phenomenal success both in economy and democracy. It is praised as the first country in the world to go from receiving aid to giving aid.
“Our brilliant culture, which has blossomed over a long history, has become a culture that people around the world can see and enjoy together under the name of K-Culture,” he said.
“As responsible member of the international community, Korea is taking the lead in resolving global issues. And in order to pioneer a new future, we are working to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan. The theme of Busan Expo: Transforming our world, Navigating toward a better future is powerfully simple: we are here not only to show the world as it is, but to shape it as we wish it to be. Having achieved the near impossible, we wish to share our experience with the rest of the world,” he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023