Wellington: South Korea and New Zealand engaged in discussions on Thursday to enhance cooperation on economic security, focusing on technology, energy, trade, and investment, as reported by Seoul's foreign ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the two nations participated in their 16th joint economic dialogue held in Wellington. The talks were led by Kim Hee-sang, South Korea's deputy foreign minister for economic affairs, and Grahame Morton, New Zealand's deputy secretary for the Americas and Asia Group at the foreign ministry.
Kim emphasized the importance of the bilateral relationship in addressing the interconnectedness of the economy and security. The discussions centered on strengthening collaboration in areas such as agricultural and marine products, science and technology, energy, and supply chains. This included plans for joint efforts in critical minerals.
Additionally, the dialogue explored ways to enhance people-to-people exchanges in tourism and education. On the same day, Kim visited the Space Institute at the University of Auckland and Rocket Lab, a private space company, to consider opportunities for joint research in the space sector, according to the ministry's statement.