South Korea's prime minister is in Russia for the Fourth Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
Lee Nak-yon held talks on Wednesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin on ways to boost economic cooperation between Seoul and Moscow,... especially the so-called "nine bridges" plan.
Cha Sang-mi reports.
South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon sat down with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Fourth Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia.
Prime Minister Lee thanked President Putin for Russia's support towards establishing permanent peace and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, and said that the South Korean government was doing its best to implement what was agreed in June, between Presidents Moon Jae-in and Putin, including the "nine bridges" of cooperation between South Korea and Russia.
The "nine bridges'" include cooperation in shipbuilding, arctic shipping, seaports, energy and natural gas, as well as railways, jobs, agriculture and fishing.
President Putin also stressed the importance of bilateral economic and trade cooperation between Moscow and Seoul, citing the 27 percent increase in trade volume between the two countries last year, and the 8 percent increase in the first half of this year.
The Russian leader said South Korea is a very important and promising partner for Russia in the Asia-Pacific region, and that he is satisfied by the developments made between the two countries.
The South Korean PM also said that President Moon proposed to try to increase the bilateral trade volume by 50 percent by 2020, which marks the 30th year anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He also proposed doubling the current amount of people-to-people exchanges between Moscow and Seoul.
Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon further delivered President Moon's words to invite President Putin to South Korea in the near future.
Cha Sang-mi, Arirang News.
