Top S. Korean, British discuss bilateral cooperation, peninsula issue

The chief diplomats of South Korea and Britain discussed bolstering bilateral cooperation in various areas, such as tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, as they met on the sidelines of a major UN climate conference, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong sat down for talks with his British counterpart, Liz Truss, in Glasgow, Scotland, on Monday (local time) on visits there for the 26th Conference of the Parties, according to the ministry.

During their meeting, the two sides agreed to strengthen their ties in wide-ranging areas, including economic and state affairs, it added.

Truss also expressed hope for continued cooperation on global issues, including ways to deal with climate change and the coronavirus crisis, it noted.

Chung highly evaluated close bilateral coordination related to the pandemic so far, especially the vaccine swap deal forged in September.

Chung also used the session to request Britain's continued attention to and support for the peace process for the Korean Peninsula as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and Truss expressed support for Seoul's efforts, the ministry added.

Over the past one month period, South Korea's top envoy has met all of his counterparts from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France -- as Seoul steps up its peace drive to bring North Korea back to stalled nuclear dialogue. (Yonhap)