Rep. Park Duk-hyum Delivers President Yoon’s Personal Letter to New Colombian President Petro

Rep. Park Duk-hyum, a special envoy for President Yoon Suk-yeol, delivers President Yoon’s personal letter to new Colombian President Gustavo Petro as the Korean delegation paid a courtesy call on President Petro on Aug. 6.

Rep. Park Duk-hyum, a special envoy for President Yoon Suk-yeol, delivered President Yoon’s personal letter to new Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who was sworn in on Aug. 7, 2022.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a delegation headed by Rep. Park paid a courtesy call on Colombian President Petrol and delivered President Yoon’s regards on his inauguration, and gratitude for Colombia’s participation in the Korean War. Colombia is the sole Central and South American country to have sent troops to the Korean War.

The delegation also delivered the “Book on the 60-year history of the Korean Economy” to President Petro, knowing that the Colombian president promised to take a cue from the development of the Korean economy.

Rep. Park, the special envoy, proposed to President Petro the possibility of promoting cooperation between the two countries in the medical insurance sector, saying that the Korean medical care insurance regime would be conducive to promoting the welfare of Colombia’s new government and alleviating social inequality.

He expressed the Korean government’s strong determination to promote relations between Colombia and Korea, which has achieved explosive economic growth since the end of the Korean War.

Rep. Hwangbo Seung-hee of PPP, a member of the delegation, expressed words of appreciation on Colombia’s backing of Korea’s bid to attract the 2030 World Expo to Busan.

The delegation had a dinner with Korean residents in Colombia and Korean company representatives and listened to grievances and complaints they experienced. It participated in a ceremony in which President was sworn in on Aug. 7.

The following day, the delegation laid a wreath on a memorial for Colombia’s participation in the Korean War, and had a meeting with the speaker of the upper chamber of the Colombian parliament.

Rep. Park Duk-hyum, delivers a book on publicizing Busan’s bid to attract the 2030 World Expo to Panamanian Minister of Commerce and Industries Federico Alfaro Boyd during the meeting on Aug. 9 as Rep. Hwangbo Seung-hee and Rep. Park Dae-soo also look on. Rep. Park and other lawmakers are touring Central and South American as a special envoy for President Yoon Suk-yeol to congratulate on new Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who took office. (Photos: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Korean Delegation Meets with Panamanian Minister of Commerce and Industries

A Korean delegation, headed by Rep. Park Duk-hyum, toured Panama.

They had a meeting with Panamanian Minister of Commerce and Industries Federico Alfaro Boyd and had a deep discussion on 10 sectors in which the two countries could promote cooperation on Aug. 9.

The 10 sectors included the agricultural industry, port services, energy/transportation infrastructure, hydrogen car, mineral resources, international aviation, film industry, carbon credit, utilization of Korea-Central and South American FTAs and tourism industry.

Rep. Pak, the special envoy, requested Panama’s support on Busan’s bid to attract the 2030 Expo, saying that Busan City and Panama City share their characteristics as a maritime and logistics center.

Panamanian Minister Alfaro said Busan was considered to be a better candidate city to host the 2030 World Expo.

He said Panama City and Busan City not only maintain close cooperation, but they also have similarities on the perspective of industry development.