DUSHANBE, August 3, Asia-Plus — State and prospects of further expansion of bilateral relations between Tajikistan and South Korea have been discussed at a meeting of President Emomali Rahmon with Korean Ambassador to Tajikistan Kyon Je Min, who presented credentials to Tajik president today.  Both sides vowed to boost bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

Speaking to journalists after a meeting with Rahmon, Korean diplomat that relations between his country and Tajikistan have developed continuously since 1992, when diplomatic relations were established between the two countries.   .

According to him, compared to 2005, a two-way trade between South Korea and Tajikistan last year increased by 40 percent. 

“During the meeting, Tajik president noted that although Tajikistan and Korea have good potentials for expanding bilateral cooperation, it does not correspondent to its real potential and there is considerable room for expansion of economic ties,” said Korean Ambassador, “President Rahmon proposed to open the Korean Embassy in Dushanbe and the Tajik Embassy in Seoul.” 

According to him, Tajik head of state highly appraised participation of South Korean companies in implementation of projects in the fields of hydropower, telecommunications and textile industry.  

“We appreciate President Rahmon’s concern about fate of South Korean hostages in Afghanistan, as well as his readiness to participate in tackling this problem” Mr. Kyon Je Min said.  

Asked about the possibility of launching joint venture for producing TV and radio sets in Tajikistan, Southern Korean diplomat noted that his country has not yet had enough information abut Tajikistan and “this gap should be filled in.”  

He also noted that both countries intend to expand cooperation in the fields of education  and labor migration.  

South Korean diplomat outlined hydropower, road-building, joint development and processing of natural resources and textiles industry, as priorities of cooperation between South Korea and Tajikistan.