President Yoon Suk Yeol (right) and his Latvian counterpart Edgars Rinkevics on Nov. 28 pose for a photo at their summit held at the Office of the President in Seoul. (Office of the President)
By Charles Audouin
President Yoon Suk Yeol has agreed with Latvia to strengthen bilateral cooperation in sectors such as trade and investment, bio and pharmaceuticals, national security and the defense industry, and human exchanges.
He hosted a summit at his office on Nov. 28 for visiting Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics on raising bilateral cooperation and analyzing regional and international situations.
In response to President Yoon’s suggestion to expand cooperation in bio and pharmaceuticals, President Rinkevics said, “I hope Latvia can serve as a strategic gateway when Korean bio and pharmaceutical companies enter the European market.”
President Yoon said Korea could be a good cooperation partner for Latvia, which is pushing to reinforce its defense capabilities, and suggested the possibility of bilateral collaboration in the defense industry.
Calling Korea “a reliable security partner,” the Latvian leader said, “We look forward to closely collaborating with Korea in the defense industry such as building an air defense system and strengthening drone capacity.”
The two leaders also discussed the rise of false information and digital cyber threats using artificial intelligence, agreeing to boost bilateral communication on this issue.
President Rinkevics pledged close cooperation with Korea in tackling the threat of disinformation through the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence in Latvia.
The two leaders also welcomed the signing this year of a bilateral working holiday agreement and agreed to conclude an accord on social security as soon as possible.
They also voiced “strong concerns” over military ties between North Korea and Russia, pledging joint efforts to ensure that the world sends a firm message against the move.
caudouin@korea.kr
