Dhaka seeks defence ties with ROK
Dhaka has sought to strengthen its political, economic and defence cooperation with the Republic of South Korea (ROK), with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir holding separate meetings with senior South Korean officials in Seoul on Friday.
During his meetings with Park Yoon-joo, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Lee Doo-hee, Vice Minister of National Defence, Kobir discussed ways to expand bilateral trade and investment, enhance defence cooperation and deepen the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
In his meeting with Park, the Bangladeshi state minister conveyed Dhaka’s readiness to work closely with the South Korean government to strengthen bilateral relations. He also handed over an invitation letter from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time. Kobir praised South Korea’s transformation into a global economic and technological leader, saying its development experience continued to inspire Bangladesh.
He expressed satisfaction with the regular Foreign Office Consultations and other high-level exchanges between the two countries, while reaffirming Bangladesh’s support for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
The two sides discussed the progress of negotiations towards a Bangladesh-South Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with Kobir welcoming the progress and expressing hope for its early signing.
He called for increased bilateral trade and investment, improved market access for Bangladeshi products and greater South Korean investment in key sectors, including semiconductors, electronics, shipbuilding, light engineering, high-end ready-made garments, information and communications technology (ICT) and other technology-intensive industries.
Kobir also highlighted opportunities for cooperation in agriculture, agro-processing, logistics, digital transformation, skills development and services.
He sought South Korean support for expanding employment opportunities for Bangladeshi skilled and semi-skilled workers under the Employment Permit System, which facilitates the recruitment of foreign workers in South Korea.
Recognising South Korea’s development partnership with Bangladesh, the state minister called for enhanced cooperation in climate resilience, infrastructure development, human resource development, technical and vocational education, and digital technologies.
The Rohingya crisis also featured in the discussions, with Kobir expressing appreciation for South Korea’s humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees and seeking its continued support for their early and sustainable repatriation to Myanmar.
The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues, reaffirming the importance of cooperation in multilateral forums.
In a separate meeting with South Korean Vice Minister of National Defence Lee Doo-hee, Kobir discussed expanding bilateral defence cooperation, particularly in military training, capacity building, United Nations peacekeeping operations and the defence industry.
The state minister appreciated South Korea’s assistance in training and capacity building for Bangladesh’s armed forces, police and civil defence personnel, and requested continued and expanded opportunities for specialised training.
He also encouraged South Korea to send military personnel to participate in specialised courses offered by the Bangladesh Armed Forces, highlighting the potential for greater professional exchanges between the two countries.
Kobir informed the South Korean side that Bangladesh was in the process of establishing a defence industrial zone and invited South Korean companies to explore investment opportunities in the initiative.
He said the proposed cooperation could promote technology transfer, industrial collaboration and mutual economic benefits.
The South Korean side welcomed Bangladesh’s interest in strengthening defence relations and expressed readiness to explore greater cooperation in mutually agreed areas, including training, capacity building and peacekeeping.
The meetings underscored the shared commitment of Bangladesh and South Korea to consolidating their longstanding partnership and expanding cooperation across political, economic, technological and defence sectors.
The discussions come as Bangladesh seeks to diversify its international economic partnerships, attract foreign investment and strengthen its industrial and technological capabilities through closer engagement with development partners.
