S. Korea, Hungary agree to develop bilateral ties

SEOUL, Nov. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye and her Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban agreed Friday to expand their countries' bilateral ties to help promote each other's economies and build stronger relations among their people, Park's office said.

The agreement came during summit talks between Park and the Hungarian prime minister at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, where the two sides also discussed regional and international issues, including North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and the global fight against climate change, according to a joint statement released by Cheong Wa Dae.

Park and Orban especially stressed the importance of economic and trade relations between their countries, noting that South Korean firms' investment in Hungary has had a "positive effect" on both nations' economic growth, the statement said.

The leaders agreed to expand and deepen bilateral cooperation in science and technology, defense and among small and medium-sized enterprises through South Korea's participation in the modernization of Hungary's military, among other projects.

Following the summit, the two countries signed a set of agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOU) with the two leaders in attendance.

One of the agreements is a revised version of an existing bilateral aviation deal, which aims to help increase trade and people-to-people exchanges between the sides.

Another agreement calls for mutual recognition of each other's driving licenses, while the two MOUs aim to promote cooperation in education and banking technology, respectively.

Hungary was the first East European nation to establish diplomatic relations with South Korea in 1989.

The prime minister arrived in Seoul Thursday for a three-day official visit at the invitation of Park.

hague@yna.co.kr
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