Seoul to set up cyber secretariat for Asia-Latin America forum

By Byun Duk-kun
TOKYO, Jan. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will set up and manage a cyber secretariat
for a forum of East Asian and Latin American countries while hosting its
conference this year on climate change, Seoul's Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan
said Saturday.

"The benefits of a cyber-secretariat are numerous, including facilitating
communication among the member states," Yu said in a ministerial meeting of the
Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC).
"I have no doubt that the cyber-secretariat will greatly enhance the structure of
the FEALAC, which currently does not have a permanent secretariat," he added.
Yu called for joint efforts to further develop the only regular forum between
East Asia and Latin America, noting the forum, "entering its 11th year, is at an
important phase in its development from infancy to maturity."
"I believe that it is timely to underscore the collaborative efforts needed to
put the forum on a fast track toward substantive growth," the minister said.
Established in 1999, the forum brings together 15 countries from East Asia,
including China, Indonesia and Australia, along with 18 Latin American nations.
Mongolia was expected to become the latest East Asian member of the forum at the
ministerial meeting here in the Japanese capital, according to officials
accompanying the South Korean minister.
The South Korean foreign minister also noted Seoul may offer to set up a database
that can archive information on the FEALAC's activities and promote various
projects of the forum, including efforts to fight climate change.
In a separate speech at a later session of the ministerial meeting, Yu announced
Seoul's hosting of the second FEALAC conference on ecotourism in May.
"I believe the conference will provide a valuable opportunity to bring fresh
momentum to the discussions for environmentally friendly growth in the FEALAC
member countries," he said.
The ministerial meeting is held every two years, but last year's forum was
postponed due to an election in Japan, South Korean officials said.
This week's forum will end Sunday. The next ministerial meeting is slated to be
held in Argentina next year.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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