SEOUL: The South Korean and Timor-Leste foreign ministers agreed Monday (June 29) to broaden cooperation in climate change, infrastructure, human resource development and other areas of mutual interest, said South Korea’s foreign ministry, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The agreement was reached during the meeting between South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and his Timor-Leste counterpart, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, held in Seoul earlier in the day, according to the ministry.
Freitas' visit marked the first official trip to South Korea by a Timor-Leste foreign minister since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 2002, though he previously visited the country twice, in 2010 and 2011, while serving as head of Timor-Leste's vocational training and employment agency.
During the talks, the two sides agreed to expand cooperation in education, human resource development and government capacity building, which Timor-Leste considers key priorities for its national development.
The ministers also discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in climate change-related areas, including greenhouse gas reduction projects and carbon capture and storage (CCS), as well as in maritime affairs, infrastructure and law enforcement aimed at combating transnational crime.
Cho reaffirmed Seoul's support for Timor-Leste's integration into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and pledged continued assistance for the country's participation in the regional bloc.
Freitas expressed support for South Korea's vision for a comprehensive strategic partnership with Asean and for various cooperation initiatives under that framework.
Timor-Leste became Asean's 11th member in October 2025.
During the meeting, Cho highlighted the longstanding ties between the two countries, recalling South Korea's deployment of the Sangnoksu peacekeeping unit to Timor-Leste during its independence and nation-building process from 1999 to 2003.
"Cho explained Seoul's policy vision for peaceful coexistence with North Korea, while Freitas expressed support for the initiative. The two ministers also agreed to continue working together to promote regional and global peace and stability," the ministry said in a release. - Bernama-Yonhap
