S. Korean President, Cambodian PM Agree to Establish Strategic Partnership

President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Manet agreed Thursday to establish a strategic partnership between their countries and expand cooperation across various sectors, including defense, trade, and infrastructure. The leaders adopted a joint statement on the establishment of a strategic partnership between South Korea and Cambodia during a summit at the presidential office, which was held on the second day of Hun Manet's four-day official visit to South Korea, South Korean News Agency (Yonhap) reported. The statement calls for strengthening defense and security cooperation, including through a South Korean naval vessel's port call in Cambodia later this year, and increased cooperation in peacekeeping operations. Under the strategic partnership, the two countries will also increase economic and financial cooperation, including through their bilateral free trade agreement, and promote cooperation across the social, cultural and development sectors. The two countries signe d six documents on the occasion of the summit, including a protocol renewing and increasing South Korea's loan to Cambodia from USD 1.5 billion in 2022-2026 to USD 3 billion in 2022-2030 through the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF). Source: Qatar News Agency