Norwegian envoy stresses Korea partnership on Arctic

Norway has emphasized its commitment to working with South Korea on Arctic issues, including developing the region as a new transportation corridor connecting East Asia and Western Europe.

With more than a thousand participants from 31 countries, this year’s Arctic Frontiers Conference held in the northern Norwegian city of Tromso from Jan. 18-23 became a stage on which Norway underscored its partnership with South Korea.

The two countries have pledged to undertake regular official consultations on the Arctic, the previous round being organized in Seoul in 2012. Norway was also a strong proponent of granting South Korea permanent observer status in the Arctic Council last year.

“South Korea has a legitimate interest to be present where Arctic policy is shaped,” said Norwegian Ambassador to South Korea Torbjorn Holthe. “South Korea is amongst the Asian countries having the most research activities in the polar region.”

“In the future, the country’s geographical location and industrial capabilities in highly technological shipbuilding make the changes in the Arctic also interesting from a commercial point of view,” Holthe said.

A South Korean delegation participated in the week-long conference with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Ocean and Fisheries, the Korean Polar Research Institute and Korea Maritime Institute.

This year’s theme is “Humans in the Arctic,” and how the area’s resources should best be exploited.

By Philip Iglauer (ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)