S. Korea, Panama agree to seek joint summit with Central America

By Byun Duk-kun
TOKYO, Jan. 16 (Yonhap) -- The foreign ministers of South Korea and Panama agreed
on Saturday to seek a joint summit of their presidents and leaders from other
members of a regional forum in Latin America, while also agreeing to improve
their countries' bilateral ties.
As the chair of the seven-nation Central American Integration System (SICA) this
year, Panama is set to host the regional forum within the first half of the year,
according to officials accompanying South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan.
Yu and Juan Carlos Varela, foreign minister and also vice president of Panama,
met here on the sidelines of the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation.
"Minister Yu suggested the sides continue to discuss a suitable date for such a
summit," Kim Young-sun, spokesman for the South Korean foreign ministry, told
reporters, adding the venue for such a meeting will also have to be decided.
South Korea and SICA have held two rounds of summit meetings in 1995 and 2005,
according to the ministry spokesman.
The Panamanian foreign minister said his country also hopes to hold a bilateral
summit this year in South Korea.
Varela also called for efforts to establish direct air routes between his country
and South Korea, the ministry spokesman said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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