(KPL) On July 26, 2024, the Lao PDR and the Republic of Korea co-hosted the 12th Mekong-R. Korea Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Vientiane.

Held in conjunction with the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, this meeting was chaired by Mr. Saleumxay Kommasith, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, and Mr. CHO Tae-yul, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.

Foreign ministers and senior officials from the Mekong countries—Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam—participated in the meeting.

The purpose of this meeting was to review the progress made under the Mekong-Korea cooperation framework and to report on the achievements of the cooperation projects implemented under the Plan of Action 2021-2025 which covers seven areas of comprehensive cooperation: culture and tourism; human resource development; agriculture and rural development; infrastructure; technology and communication; environment; and non-traditional security challenges.

Significant progress has been made in various cooperative projects, contributing to the socio-economic development of the Mekong region. Through the Mekong-Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund (MKCF), seven projects valued at over USD 2.7 million have been implemented in the Lao PDR. In 2024, R. Korea provided over USD 400,000 through the MKCF for the promotion of soybean production and the development of soybean processing technology in the Lao PDR and Vietnam, with the project starting in March 2024.

The meeting also discussed future cooperation plans, focusing on economic recovery in the Mekong region, with special emphasis on preparing for the 12th Mekong-RoK Business Forum, which will be held in Vientiane in August 2024, and planning for the next Mekong-RoK Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

In this meeting, Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Saleumxay Kommasith, expressed appreciation and gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Korea for its continuous contribution to the socio-economic development of the Mekong region, including the Lao PDR. He also proposed that Korea continue to support and strengthen cooperation with Mekong countries in the future.

KPL