Centrum Stosunków Międzynarodowych - 19 October 2016: Poland and the Republic of Korea signed a new cooperation plan 2017-2020

During a three-day official visit to the Republic of Korea Poland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Witold Waszczykowski concluded an important strategic deal with his Korean counterpart, Lim Sung Nam. The document, namely the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Strategic Partnership for the Years 2017-20, was signed on October 18 and it is supposed to be the basis for future economic and political cooperation between the two countries. While reaffirming the centrality of Poland-South Korean relations in Poland’s strategic view in the Asian continent, Minister Waszczykowski renovated “the Polish involvement in the resolution of the Korean Peninsula conflict.”

On October 19, the agenda led the Polish Minister to a bilateral meeting with the South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn. It has been the occasion to stress the good trade relations as well as the similar historical experience concerning independence and territorial integrity the two countries have faced.

The 2017-2020 Action Plan is focused on increasing imports-exports flows as well as to help Polish businessman to not miss the chance to invest in the Korean market. “We’re aware of the growing political, economic and demographic potential of Asian countries, notably the Republic of Korea. We look forward to the Korean industry becoming more engaged in Poland, and hope this will translate into new technology centres that will ensure the transfer of modern technologies. The Polish government will be supporting such investments,” affirmed Minister Waszczykowski after the meeting.

In particular, the Minister added that, Korean authorities, which banned Polish pork meat imports two years ago, seem to be considerably renegotiating the issue. The inauguration of a new direct flight link between Poland and Seoul, the third in Asia after China and Japan, is another important event which characterized the Asiatic visit of the Polish Minister.

South Korea is the second Poland’s trade partner in the Asian continent with 3.7 billion (USD) of trade volume in 2015, while Poland is Korea’s largest trade and investment partner in Central and Eastern Europe.

Diplomacy was also high in the agenda of the meeting: security on the Korean Peninsula and the role of Poland as member of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, the situation in Ukraine, and Poland’s candidacy for a non-permanent member of the United Nation Security Council in 2018-19 to name a few.