ID :
48721
Tue, 03/03/2009 - 16:52
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/48721
The shortlink copeid
Lee calls for Seoul-Wellington cooperation to fight crisis
By Byun Duk-kun
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, March 3 (Yonhap) -- Visiting South Korean President Lee
Myung-bak urged increased cooperation between South Korea and New Zealand on
Tuesday, saying the two countries can do more to help overcome the ongoing global
economic crisis.
The South Korean president said boosting bilateral ties will not only help the
countries ride out the economic downturn, but will also help set a new world
order when the crisis is over.
"We must also prepare for the future while working to overcome the crisis that
now faces both of our countries. We must look for new areas where we can work
together that will also meet our needs under the changing world paradigm," Lee
said in a speech at a Korea-New Zealand business forum here.
Lee's remarks came shortly after he and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key held
a summit here in Auckland, the most populous city in the country, and jointly
announced the start of bilateral free trade talks.
The South Korean president said that economic activity between the two countries
has flourished. In 1990 their two-way trade volume was only at about US$600
million a year but that figure has increased to nearly $2 billion worth of goods
and services annually, he said.
But Lee stressed there is still room for growth.
"Now, South Korea and New Zealand must upgrade their economic cooperation to the
next level. The global economic crisis facing the countries is increasing the
need to strengthen cooperation between the two countries," Lee told the forum
attended by some 110 business representatives.
One potentially lucrative area, Lee said, is green technology.
"First of all, such cooperation can be made in agricultural reform and the
agriculture, food sector," Lee said. "Secondly, the two can work together in
developing bio-forestry technologies and fighting climate change."
The president said New Zealand's success in reforming its agricultural sector and
its leadership in bio-forestry could open up a new field of business he called a
"clean development mechanism."
In return, Seoul could provide its high-end information and communications
technology to Wellington to help improve the latter's knowledge-based
infrastructure, he said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, March 3 (Yonhap) -- Visiting South Korean President Lee
Myung-bak urged increased cooperation between South Korea and New Zealand on
Tuesday, saying the two countries can do more to help overcome the ongoing global
economic crisis.
The South Korean president said boosting bilateral ties will not only help the
countries ride out the economic downturn, but will also help set a new world
order when the crisis is over.
"We must also prepare for the future while working to overcome the crisis that
now faces both of our countries. We must look for new areas where we can work
together that will also meet our needs under the changing world paradigm," Lee
said in a speech at a Korea-New Zealand business forum here.
Lee's remarks came shortly after he and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key held
a summit here in Auckland, the most populous city in the country, and jointly
announced the start of bilateral free trade talks.
The South Korean president said that economic activity between the two countries
has flourished. In 1990 their two-way trade volume was only at about US$600
million a year but that figure has increased to nearly $2 billion worth of goods
and services annually, he said.
But Lee stressed there is still room for growth.
"Now, South Korea and New Zealand must upgrade their economic cooperation to the
next level. The global economic crisis facing the countries is increasing the
need to strengthen cooperation between the two countries," Lee told the forum
attended by some 110 business representatives.
One potentially lucrative area, Lee said, is green technology.
"First of all, such cooperation can be made in agricultural reform and the
agriculture, food sector," Lee said. "Secondly, the two can work together in
developing bio-forestry technologies and fighting climate change."
The president said New Zealand's success in reforming its agricultural sector and
its leadership in bio-forestry could open up a new field of business he called a
"clean development mechanism."
In return, Seoul could provide its high-end information and communications
technology to Wellington to help improve the latter's knowledge-based
infrastructure, he said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
