Seoul: The South Korean and East Timorese foreign ministers have agreed to enhance cooperation in the areas of climate change, infrastructure, and education, as announced by Seoul's foreign ministry. This agreement was reached during a meeting held in Seoul between South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and his East Timorese counterpart, Bendito dos Santos Freitas.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Freitas' visit marks the first official trip to South Korea by an East Timorese foreign minister since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2002. Freitas had previously visited South Korea in 2010 and 2011 while heading East Timor's vocational training and employment agency.

The discussions between the two ministers focused on expanding collaboration in education, human resource development, and government capacity building, which are key priorities for East Timor's national development. The talks also covered strengthening cooperation in climate change initiatives, including greenhouse gas reduction projects and carbon capture and storage, as well as maritime affairs, infrastructure development, and law enforcement against transnational crime.

Cho Hyun reaffirmed South Korea's support for East Timor's integration into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and pledged continued assistance for the country's active participation in the regional bloc. Freitas, in turn, expressed his support for South Korea's vision of a comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN.

The meeting also highlighted the longstanding ties between South Korea and East Timor, with Cho recalling the deployment of South Korea's Sangnoksu peacekeeping unit to East Timor during its nation-building process from 1999 to 2003. Additionally, Cho shared Seoul's policy vision for peaceful coexistence with North Korea, which received support from Freitas. The ministers agreed to continue collaborating to promote regional and global peace and stability.