S. Korea, Central American nations to hold high-level talks

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Oct. 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and seven Central American nations will have a vice ministerial meeting in Seoul this week to boost cooperation in various areas, including trade, technology and health care sectors, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.

Choi Jong-kun, first vice minister of foreign affairs, is set to host the "special roundtable" with foreign and trade vice ministers from seven Central American nations in Seoul on Thursday, the ministry said.

The countries are Costa Rica, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Belize and Panama.

Senior officials from the U.S. Vice President's office and the State Department will also attend in person to join efforts to deepen the comprehensive cooperation in the region, it added.

The multilateral dialogue platform is designed to seek ways to step up cooperation in a wide range of areas, including trade, technology and health care, Seoul officials said.

In June, President Moon Jae-in held his first virtual summit with the leaders of eight Central American nations that form the Central American Integration System, more widely known as SICA, to forge closer ties with them. South Korea joined it in 2012 as an extra-regional observer.

ejkim@yna.co.kr
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