By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee 

Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul held a meeting with Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, who is on an official visit to Korea from August 1 to 2, in Seoul on Aug. 2.

They discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations, including diplomacy and security, trade and investment, future industries (clean energy, digital finance, smart infrastructure), tourism, consular affairs, and labor, as well as cooperation on regional and international issues.

Minister Cho emphasized that Thailand is our key ally who fought together for freedom and peace during the Korean War, and called for close cooperation to deepen and develop the 'strategic partnership' between the two countries in the future.

The two ministers agreed on the need to strengthen strategic communication between the two countries to contribute to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region, and agreed to establish a director-level 2+2 diplomatic and defense council. 

Noting that the T-50 and frigates exported by South Korea are contributing to the Thai military's core capabilities, Cho suggested that the two countries continue to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation in all areas of land, sea, and air.

Both ministers agreed on the need to realize the potential of bilateral economic cooperation, and agreed to accelerate efforts to conclude the Economic Partnership Agreement currently under negotiation. 

Cho also proposed that the two patent authorities soon sign an MOU on Comprehensive Cooperation on Intellectual Property and an MOU on Patent Examination Highway to institutionally facilitate mutual access for companies from both countries.

The two ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation in future industries such as ▴clean energy, ▴digital transformation, and ▴smart infrastructure for the future-oriented development of the strategic partnership. 

Minister Cho hoped to strengthen cooperation on nuclear energy, which is carbon free energy (CFE), and proposed to sign a bilateral nuclear energy cooperation agreement at an early stage. Minister Cho also expressed the Thai government's interest and support for Korean companies to enter the Thai virtual banking market. 

The two ministers agreed to work closely together to establish a Korean smart industrial park in Thailand to help more Korean companies enter the Thai market.