S.Korea, Laos boost partnership in global drive to cut CO2 emissions

South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Tuesday held talks with Laos' Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment at the Seoul headquarters of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) on bilateral cooperation in the global campaign to cut greenhouse gas emissions in industry and energy.

The meeting's purpose was to boost South Korea's partnership for such cooperation with Laos, which promotes sustainable power development and a green growth policy.

Seoul proposed to build a collaborative system to that effect through conclusion of a memorandum of understanding on finding strategic areas of cooperation and pursuing pilot projects.
 
Vientiane agreed that reducing CO2 emissions worldwide is necessary to expand future-oriented cooperation between the two countries.

In addition, Laos requested South Korea's support to strengthen the former's systems and capacity to cut global greenhouse gases.

Attending the meeting in Seoul were eight officials from the ministry, KOTRA and Korea Energy Agency and nine from the Lao ministries of natural resources and environment, industry and commerce, energy and mines, agriculture and forestry, and public works and transport.

Since holding director-general-level bilateral meetings in May with seven countries in Hanoi, Vietnam, the South Korean ministry has promoted forming an intergovernmental cooperation system for the global campaign through a conference last month with Lao Ambassador to Seoul Songkane Luangmuninthone chaired by Minister for Trade Ahn Duk-geun.

In November, Busan will host the event Global Net Zero Connection to prepare for South Korea taking a leading role in the global campaign to cut greenhouse gases.

Write to Han-Shin Park at phs@hankyung.com