By Ek Tha
Press and
Quick Reaction Unit
PHNOM PENH,
23 May 2012 (PRU) – Both Cambodia and South Korea are pleased with their
growing bilateral ties, and South Korea is looking to expand cooperation in tourism, to offer scholarships for Cambodian
students, to provide training for Cambodia’s civil aviation sector and would
consider its assistance in the restoration of Cambodia’s ancient temples.
His
Excellency Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Sok An told His Excellency Kim Han-Soo,
Ambassador of the Republic of Korea: “We
have good relations and we are looking at ways to strengthen our cooperation”.
In
response, the newly designated Ambassador Kim Han-Soo pledged to intensify
bilateral cooperation in many sectors, including building human resources.
“Our NGOs
and private sector and government as awhole are trying to provide more
scholarships for Cambodian students, and we hope that fruitful cooperation will
contribute to the further development of Cambodia”, said the diplomat.
Both sides
also expressed their pleasure at the increasing number of South Korean tourists
visiting the Kingdom of Wonder, which rose to 350,000 last year. This increase
was partly due, said Dr. Sok An, to the friendly cooperation that also paved
the way for more investors from Seoul.
Cambodia
received nearly 3 million tourists last year, and that figure is expected to
increase by 18 percent a year. The largest number of foreign tourists came from
South Korea, followed by Vietnam and then China.
“Tourism is
a key sector, and when tourists come, other sectors will follow”, Dr. Sok An,
who is also Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers, told
the Ambassador.
“Cambodian-South
Korean relations are a good experience”, he said, referring to the wide-ranging
cooperation between the two nations, from culture to tourism and trade.
In
response, H.E. Kim Hansoo said, “Cambodia is one of the most desirable
countries to visit and Korean visitors will increase over time”.
Both sides
pledged to encourage stronger ties in trade and investment. Bilateral trade
reached more than US$540 millions last year, a 43 percent increase year on
year, according to the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency in Phnom Penh.
Cambodia
and South Korea have been looking to increase bilateral cooperation in agriculture,
tourism, investment, and aviation for the benefit of the two peoples. There are
more than 500 South Korean companies that have been successfully operating in
Cambodia.
South
Korea, through its Korea International Cooperation Agency
(KOIKA), will equip the
centre where South Korean experts will train Cambodians who work for the Civil
Aviation Authority.
Dr. Sok An
said that Cambodia is pleased with South Korea’s support for the CAA, because
South Korea is rated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation among the
top ten in the world.
Cambodia is
also grateful to South Korea for funding a new 32 km road near the Angkor
temple complex that will circle the famed temples and reduce traffic in the
area. The road will reduce pollution, noise and vibrations that could damage
the ancient ruins.
“This is
another big contribution for the sustainable development of Angkor. I will name
the road the Korean Ring Road”, said Dr. Sok An, who also recalled the
successful Cambodia-Gyeongju World Culture Expo in Siem Reap, which 500,000
people visited per month.