(Yonhap Interview) Diplomatic ties with S. Korea helped economic development:

(ATTN: Photo available)
By Lee Youkyung
JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 2 (Yonhap) - Loans and support from South Korea
have helped his landlocked country reduce poverty, Laotian Prime Minister
Bouasone Bouphavanh said Tuesday, hoping for continued investment from Seoul.
Bouasone, who visited this resort island for the South Korea-ASEAN Commemorative
Summit, called the two-day conference a chance to promote bilateral ties and talk
about global issues such as the financial crisis and climate change.
Laos is a member of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
"The government of the Republic of Korea has extended official development aid
and loans to Laos for national development," the prime minister said through a
translator in an interview with Yonhap News Agency. "Support and assistance
extended by Korean people to Laos have contributed to our efforts in reducing
poverty in our country."
At bilateral talks on Monday, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak agreed to
expand official development aid to Laos and continue to share Korea's experience
of advancing economic development. The Laotian government is seeking its way off
the U.N.'s list of least developed countries by 2020, and Bouasone emphasized
that foreign investment and trade will play a key role in carrying out the goal.

"I know that Korean investors have much expertise and capacity in investment,"
Bouasone said of the sixth-largest investor in his country.
Laos is currently South Korea's smallest trading partner among ASEAN countries,
with the two-way trade volume amounting to US$104 million in 2008.
"We have good potential for investment in agriculture, processing industries, the
mining industry, hydroelectric power and tourism," the prime minister said.
South Korea and Laos mark their 15th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year,
and Bouasone recommended cultural activities to celebrate. "We can have Korean
drama or Korean movies viewed in Laos, and Laos can also have performers in
Korea," he said.
Laos severed diplomatic ties with South Korea in 1975 after the communist party
took power, but reinstated official relations in 1995.
While Laos maintains friendly relations with North Korea, Bouasone was clear
about his government's support for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, noting that
his country is "concerned about the nuclear test" that North Korea conducted on
May 25.
The test "will affect the process of consultations and negotiations to make the
Korean Peninsula a nuclear-free zone," he said. "However, we hope that all
concerned parties will address this issue by peaceful means."
"We support the two Koreas to further develop relations, and also support the
reconvening of the six-party talks," Bouasone said.
Bouasone was optimistic about the future of ASEAN member nations, believing that
efforts to build a pan-ASEAN community can help develop the economies of
less-developed member countries.
"ASEAN will be able to narrow the development gap and will be able to pursue
ASEAN integration and ASEAN community building," he said. "I believe that ASEAN
community building will be accomplished by 2015."
ylee@yna.co.kr
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