S. Korea, Laos agree to forge comprehensive strategic partnership next year

President Yoon Suk Yeol, second from left, and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, third from right, hold a meeting at the presidential palace on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Vientiane, Laos, Thursday. Yonhap

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith agreed Thursday to elevate the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership next year to celebrate the 30th anniversary of reestablishing their diplomatic ties.

South Korea and Laos 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. They restored the diplomatic relations in 1995.

Yoon and Sisoulith made the agreement during their summit on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit held in Laos, the chair of this year’s summit.

“I expect to upgrade South Korea-Laos relations to a higher level next year when the two countries commemorate the 30th anniversary of reestablishing the bilateral relations,” Yoon said during the summit.

Yoon said South Korea has maintained close relations with Laos, as a partner for development projects and its fifth-largest investor, expressing hope to further improve ties.

“The mutual exchanges between the two countries have also continued to increase, and this year, the number of reciprocal visitors is expected to exceed pre-COVID levels, reaching an all-time high,” he said.

In light of the summit, the two countries signed memoranda of understanding on cooperation for climate change response and carbon emission reductions, and renewed the basic agreement for South Korea’s economic development cooperation fund with Laos. (Yonhap)