Iohanis România will continue to pay close attention to strengthening the EU-Korea Strategic Partnership

Romania will continue to pay close attention to strengthening the EU-Korea Strategic Partnership, President Klaus Iohannis told visiting Speaker of the National Assembly of Korea Moon Hee-sang, in Bucharest on Thursday.

Klaus Iohannis welcomed Moon Hee-sang at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace on an official visit to Romania.

According to a statement from the Presidential Administration, Iohannis hailed this visit, which has a symbolic significance as it takes place among the Centennial of modern Romania and the 10th anniversary this year of the strategic partnership between Romania and the Republic of Korea. Also in 2018, 55 years are celebrated since the establishment of relations between Korea and the European Union.

Iohannis highlighted the special nature of relations between the two countries, with Korea being the first Asian state with which Romania established a strategic partnership. He also underscored that the two countries share common values, with Romania being determined to act for a significant development of the bilateral strategic partnership, mentioning to the point a very good discussion he had with his South Korean counterpart when he participated in the high-level segment of this year's session of the UN General Assembly in September.

"The President of Romania commended the ascending and sustained dynamics of the relationship and political dialogue between our country and the Republic of Korea. At the same time, President Klaus Iohannis encouraged capitalising on bilateral trade and economic co-operation potential, including by attracting new Korean investment to Romania. He also highlighted the potential of bilateral relations in the field of education, encouraging a better capitalisation on student mobility, starting from the educational offering of Romanian and Korean universities, a position fully shared by the Korean side. President Klaus Iohannis assured that Romania will continue to address with the utmost attention the strengthening of the EU-Korea Strategic Partnership, including during our country's presidency of the Council of the European Union."

In his turn, Moon Hee-sang pointed out that Romania is currently one of Korea's most important strategic partners in Southeast Europe, showing that to the Republic of Korea, Romania is "the pearl of Central and Eastern Europe." The South Korean official congratulated Romania on its progress and assuming the presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2019, while expressing the decision of the Korean side to increase its investment in Romania and to further develop trade.

Klaus Iohannis and Moon Hee-sang also made a detailed exchange of views on recent developments in the settlement of the situation in the Korean Peninsula, with the Speaker of the National Assembly of Korea expressing their gratitude for Romania's consistent position and support for this matter in various international contexts.