Seoul, Astana reach detailed plans to improve ties, boost cooperation

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead paras with outcome of Korea-kazakhstan summit; UPDATES
with additional information, details)
By Byun Duk-kun
ASTANA, May 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Kazakh
President Nursultan Nazarbayev agreed Wednesday to upgrade their countries'
relationship into a "strategic partnership" through a set of measures that will
increase their diplomatic and economic cooperation.
The "action plan" for such measures signed by the countries' foreign ministers
following a summit between Lee and the Kazakh president.
"The action plan provides ways to increase practical cooperation between the two
countries while calling on them to establish dialogue channels between their
governments, as well as a legal and systematic basis for strengthening their
ties," a South Korean official accompanying Lee told reporters.
President Lee arrived here Tuesday as part of his two-nation Central Asia trip
that earlier took him to Uzbekistan on a three-day state visit.
Seoul's efforts to improve its ties with the two Central Asian nations come under
its drive to become a "representative of Asia" in the international community
under a diplomatic campaign called the New Asia Initiative.
On economic cooperation, South Korea agreed to help build a new shipyard in Kuryk
and provide assistance for the country's IT and railroad industries.
Astana signed four memorandums of understanding with South Korean firms,
including the state-run Korea National Oil Corp., on joint development of its
resources, a move that will help increase Seoul's energy security, according to
South Korean officials here.
Lee and Nazarbayev also agreed to work together in fighting the worldwide
recession, noting coordinated and continued efforts are the only solution to the
ongoing global economic crisis.
The South Korean president was scheduled to meet with Kazakh Prime Minister later
Wednesday. He will also meet with a group of Korean residents here later in the
day before heading home early Thursday.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)