Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul (right) on July 3 shakes hands with Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Xavier Bettel at the Korean ministry’s compound in Seoul’s Jongno-gu District. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
By Yoon Sojung
Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul on July 3 held talks with Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, who is concurrently his country’s foreign affairs and trade minister, saying he hoped for stronger bilateral exchange and cooperation through the opening of embassies in each country’s capitals.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Minister Cho hosted a breakfast meeting with his Luxembourg counterpart at the ministry in Seoul. Both officials discussed a wide range of issues including bilateral ties, cooperation on the global stage and regional affairs.
Minister Cho congratulated the official opening of the Luxembourg Embassy in Seoul to mark Minister Bettel’s visit, adding that Seoul is also preparing to open its embassy in the European state. Through their exchange of embassies, Minister Cho said he hoped for stronger bilateral exchange and cooperation.
Minister Cho also hailed Luxembourg’s participation in the Korean War as a country that shares values with Korea, as well as sending the largest number of soldiers relative to its population size. He added that both countries over the past six decades have developed cooperation in a range of sectors.
Minister Bettel said Luxembourg considers Korea a major economy and advanced country in science and technology, and that his country highly values bilateral cooperation. He added that Luxembourg wants to expand collaboration so that more Korean companies enter and invest in the European country and raise bilateral cooperation in the defense industry and medical technology.
Turning to North Korea and Ukraine, Minister Cho asked for Luxembourg’s continued support, saying recent military cooperation between Russia and the North threatens peace and security not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in Europe and the world.
Minister Bettel affirmed Luxembourg’s commitment in this regard. On Ukraine, he praised Korean support for the war-torn country and urged steady support from the international community, to which Minister Cho responded by pledging his government’s continued support.
Both ministers also signed a memorandum of understanding on a working holiday program. Under this initiative, up to 100 youth ages 18-35 from each country can work and study languages in the other for a short time every year to experience the host nation’s culture and lifestyle.
Jacques Flies (second from right), the inaugural Luxembourg ambassador to Korea, on July 2 at the hotel Silla Seoul unveils the signboard of the newly opened Luxembourg Embassy in Seoul at a ceremony to mark the occasion. Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Xavier Bettel (left) attended the event. (Jeon Han)arete@korea.kr
