South Korea has welcomed Bangladesh’s intent to strengthen bilateral defense ties and expressed readiness to explore opportunities for expanded cooperation in mutually agreed sectors, including training, capacity-building, and peacekeeping.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir held separate meetings with Korean First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Yoon-joo and Vice Minister of National Defense Lee Doo-hee in Seoul on Friday, deliberating on matters of mutual interest with a primary focus on political and economic collaboration.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the engagements reaffirmed the shared commitment of Bangladesh and the Republic of Korea to further consolidate their long-standing partnership and widen cooperation for mutual benefit.

During his meeting with Vice Minister Park, the state minister conveyed Bangladesh's readiness to work closely with the South Korean government to deepen enduring friendly relations.

Humaiun Kobir formally 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.

Humaiun Kobir commended Korea's remarkable transformation into a global economic and technological leader, emphasizing that its development trajectory continues to inspire Bangladesh.

He expressed satisfaction over the regular execution of Foreign Office Consultations and other high-level exchanges, while reaffirming Bangladesh's steadfast support for peace and stability across the Korean Peninsula.

Welcoming progress toward concluding the Bangladesh-Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the state minister expressed optimism for its early signing.

He advocated for expanded bilateral trade and investment, enhanced market access for Bangladeshi goods, and increased Korean capital in semiconductors, electronics, shipbuilding, light engineering, high-end ready-made garments, information and communications technology, and other tech-intensive sectors.

Humaiun Kobir further highlighted viable opportunities across agriculture, agro-processing, logistics, digital transformation, skills development, and services, seeking Korean support to generate expanded employment avenues for Bangladeshi skilled and semi-skilled workers through the Employment Permit System.

Commending Korea's development partnership, he sought enhanced cooperation in climate resilience, infrastructure, human-resource development, technical and vocational education, and digital technologies.

Additionally, the state minister acknowledged Korea's humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya population and requested continued support to facilitate their early and sustainable repatriation to Myanmar.

Both sides exchanged views on regional and international issues, reinforcing the value of cooperation within multilateral platforms.

In his session with Vice Minister of National Defense Lee, discussions centered on bolstering bilateral defense cooperation across training, capacity-building, UN peacekeeping, and defense industry collaboration.

Humaiun Kobir lauded Korea’s existing support in training and capacity-building for Bangladesh’s armed forces, police, and civil defense personnel while requesting continued and expanded avenues for specialized training.

He also encouraged South Korea to dispatch military personnel to attend specialized courses conducted by the Bangladesh Armed Forces.

Furthermore, the state minister informed the Korean leadership that Bangladesh is actively establishing a dedicated defense industrial zone, inviting Korean stakeholders to explore investment opportunities in the initiative to foster technology transfer, industrial collaboration, and mutual economic benefits.