9th Joint Syrian-Korean Economic Committee

DAMASCUS, (ST) – Prime Minister Dr. Wael al -Halaqi underlined the importance of activating the agreements signed between Syria and the DPRK and the signing of new agreements to enhance bilateral cooperation, open broad prospects of cooperation, upgrade economic and trade relations between the two countries to the level of political relations in the interest of the two friendly peoples.

During a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Trade of the Republic of Korea, Ri Ryong Nam and his accompanying delegation, Dr. al -Halaqi called businessmen in the DPRK to invest in Syria, through the establishment of joint development projects and contribute to the reconstruction phase.

Dr. al -Halaqi paid attention to the importance of localization of new investments in scientific research, technology and software between the two countries in addition to the possibility of establishing a joint agricultural research center, activating the role of free zones and providing customs facilities as well as transportation, housing, oil, mineral wealth and higher education to achieve the aspirations of the two friendly peoples.

Talks also dealt with possibilities of cooperation in the field of construction, investment, industry, electric power, transportation agricultural research, cultural, media and scientific cooperation.

For his part, Mr. Ryong Nam stressed the country’s desire in promoting economic and trade relations between the two countries.

The Minister of Culture Dr. Lubana Mshaweh, head of the Syrian side, underscored the need to strengthen economic, cultural, scientific, media, and technological ties between Syria and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and upgrade them to the level of political relations between the two countries.

“Syria is going on the road to recovery whereas a lot of service, economic and industrial projects need more cooperation with friendly countries including electricity, transportation, housing, banking, higher education, energy, drilling for oil and gas extraction, calling economic institutions in the DPRK to submit their offers and invest in these projects and to contribute to the rebuilding of the renewable Syria,” Dr. Mshaweh clarified.

The minister confirmed the need to invest in scientific, technological and software projects  between the two countries, stressing the importance of promoting goods, activating the work of the free zones, providing customs facilities between the two countries.

“The Ministry of Culture hopes to benefit from the expertise of competent musicians and trainees in operatic singing, which saw a major development in the DPRK in recent years,” Dr. Mshaweh pointed out.

For his part, Minister of Foreign Trade in the Democratic Republic of Korea, Ri Ryong Nam, head of the delegation, expressed his country’s readiness to contribute to the economic and industrial development projects in Syria and the promotion of bilateral relations in the cultural, scientific and academic domains through the exchange of experts and researchers, university professors, pointing to the need to overcome obstacles and difficulties between the two countries to expand of the base cooperation in all fields.

Meantime, Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, Dr. Khider Orfali discussed with his Korean counterpart, Ri Ryong Nam, means of developing economic, trade and investment relations and activating the agreements signed between the two countries.

The two sides also discussed prospects of cooperation such as setting up new permanent exhibitions of Syrian products in Pyongyang and cooperation in many areas, including the creation of free zones.

Dr. Orfali expressed his ministry’s readiness to remove all difficulties, provide all facilities and the simplification of procedures, which aim to develop trade with the DPRK and friendly countries to Syria.

For his part, Mr. Ryong Nam said that ” Syria is a sophisticated and advanced in its comprehensive development despite the circumstances of the current war,” reiterating his country’s stand alongside Syria in light of the face of the unjust economic blockade, expressing optimism in “a good future of the Syrian economy and the expansion of the Korean companies’ investments in Syria.”

Mr. Ryong Nam expressed his pleasure to visit Syria in this critical period of its history in order to express solidarity of the people and the leadership of the DPRK, adding that his country will not forget the support given by Syria in all fields.

The Korean leadership’s determination is to increase cooperation with Syria and activate the agreements that have been signed with the Syrian side during this visit.

Sharif el -Khatib