(KPL) Mr. Thongsavanh Phomvihane, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Cho Tae-yul, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, on October 27, 2025, on the occasion of accompanying Mr. Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR, to attend the 47th ASEAN Summit and related meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

On this occasion, both sides expressed their pleasure at meeting each other for the first time since assuming their respective offices as Ministers of Foreign Affairs. They highly valued and praised the longstanding friendship and good cooperation between the Lao PDR and the Republic of Korea, which have continued to strengthen over the years—particularly in 2025, marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Both sides agreed to further promote high-level exchanges and visits, as well as to continue supporting and assisting each other in regional and international forums. The Lao side expressed high appreciation for the Republic of Korea’s assistance in various fields over the years, which has significantly contributed to the socio-economic development of the Lao PDR, particularly through Official Development Assistance (ODA) for key projects such as erosion prevention, unexploded ordnance clearance, public health, human resource development, and others.

The two sides also welcomed the expansion of trade and investment cooperation between the two countries, which continues to grow strongly and cover a wide range of sectors, including clean energy, construction, services, and agriculture. In the field of tourism, it was noted that the number of Korean tourists visiting the Lao PDR has been increasing steadily, further promoting people-to-people exchanges between the two nations.

Furthermore, both sides agreed to continue promoting and expanding cooperation, especially in areas of mutual potential such as clean energy, infrastructure development and connectivity, management, and tourism. They also agreed to maintain close coordination and strengthen efforts to combat online fraud, which continues to pose a threat and cause significant property damage in many countries.

In addition, both sides exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

KPL