Korean Foreign Affairs Ministry Director General for Bilateral Economic Affairs visits Sri Lanka

Meeting between Ministry of Foreign Affairs personnel of Korea and Sri Lanka 

Director General for Bilateral Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea Kim Seung-ho concluded a two-day visit to Sri Lanka last week. The Director General had bilateral discussions with high-level officials of the government of Sri Lanka on a wide range of pending economic issues and various ways to promote bilateral economic relations between Korea and Sri Lanka.

On 18 June, Kim, together with Chang Won-sam, Korean Ambassador to Sri Lanka, met Dr. Harsha de Silva, Deputy Minister of Policy Planning, Economic Affairs, Child, Youth and Cultural Affairs. The Deputy Minister explained the new Government’s new economic policy which is currently being developed and expects the Korean Government’s cooperation in the future. 

The Deputy Minister also commended on Korea’s Knowledge Sharing Program (KSP) which made a policy recommendation to the Sri Lankan Government including practical implementation measures of the recommended policy. Both parties hope to continue a close cooperation for the follow-up Program. 

Kim also met D.C. Dissanayake, Secretary, Ministry of Highways and Investment Promotion. The two parties appreciated the close cooperation and achievements in road and highway construction projects and the traffic management system. They agreed to continue this close cooperation in the possible infrastructure development projects. Regarding investment promotion, Kim expressed his view that a more business friendly environment would revive the Korean investment in Sri Lanka.

On 19 June, Kim met C. Wagiswara, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka. The two parties agreed that there is much room for further enhancement of bilateral economic relationship in the area of investment, infrastructure projects and labour cooperation. They also discussed on ways to enhance bilateral economic ties through regional economic arrangements such as the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) and bilateral FTAs. 

This visit is a timely opportunity to review the current bilateral economic relations between Korea and Sri Lanka and to make further progress in various areas of economic cooperation.