S. Korea, Colombia agree to push for FTA

LIMA, Nov. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Colombian
President Alvaro Uribe agreed to push for a free trade agreement between the two
countries during their bilateral summit held on the sidelines of the APEC forum
here on Saturday.
"Lee and Uribe agreed to widen practical economic and commercial cooperation
between the two countries and constructively consider opening bilateral FTA talks
in the near future," Lee's spokesman Lee Dong-kwan said.
"Uribe expressed a wish for the combination of Colombia's abundant resources and
Korean technologies, while Lee asked for support for South Korean companies
seeking to advance into the Latin American country's infrastructure, energy and
resource sectors," said the spokesman.
The two leaders also shared the view that South Korea and Colombia should
continue to expand bilateral exchanges and investments on the basis of their
traditional friendship that dates back to the 1950-53 Korean War.
Colombia was the sole Latin American country that fought for South Korea in the
Korean War. Colombia sent 5,100 troops to the war, with 216 killed and 610
injured, according to government data. The two countries established diplomatic
relations in 1962.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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