South Korea, Laos agree to upgrade ties to comprehensive partnership

Seoul, Dec 15 South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith on Monday agreed to upgrade bilateral ties to a comprehensive partnership at summit talks, with Lee describing Laos as a key partner in critical mineral supply chains, according to the presidential office.

During the summit, Lee said the two nations agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a comprehensive partnership, marking the 30th anniversary of the reestablishment of diplomatic ties between our two countries this year.

He noted that South Korea is one of Laos' key partners in development cooperation and investment, describing Laos as a "very important partner" for Seoul's engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Mekong River nations, Yonhap News Agency reported.

"I hope that by further expanding and deepening our mutually beneficial and future-oriented cooperation, we can deliver tangible results that people in both countries can benefit from," Lee said in his opening remarks.

Lee expressed hope for cooperation with the resource-rich country in new areas, including critical mineral supply chains and infrastructure projects, as Thongloun seeks to develop the landlocked country into a regional transportation and logistics hub despite its geographical constraints.

"The Republic of Korea will stand alongside Laos as a reliable partner throughout this process," he said, referring to South Korea's official name.

In response, Thongloun said Laos remains one of the world's least developed countries and expressed hope for continued support from South Korea as it works to strengthen its economy.

In addition to economic cooperation, joint efforts on curbing transnational crimes, such as online scam operations, were also on the agenda for the summit.

The two countries plan to sign mutual legal assistance and extradition treaties to lay the groundwork for closer cooperation in combating transnational crimes, according to Lee's office.

South Korea has been working with regional partners to address a rise in criminal cases involving Korean nationals, including online fraud, illegal gambling and drug trafficking.

Thongloun arrived in Seoul on Sunday for a two-day official visit at Lee's invitation, as this year marks the 30th anniversary of restoring diplomatic relations between South Korea and Laos.

The two countries first forged their diplomatic ties in 1974 but severed them the following year due to the rise of communist governments in Southeast Asia following the end of the Vietnam War. Diplomatic relations were restored in 1995.

On the first day, First Lady Kim Hea Kyung and her Laotian counterpart, Naly Sisoulith, visited Jogye Temple in downtown Seoul and had discussions on cultural exchanges.

The Laotian leader's visit comes two months after Thongloun travelled to Pyongyang and held summit talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the occasion of the 80th founding anniversary of the North's ruling party and agreed to strengthen bilateral ties.

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