Park to renew calls for expansion of free trade to curb protectionism

President Park Geun-hye plans to renew her calls for the expansion of free trade to curb the rise of protectionism during this week's Asia-Europe Meeting summit in Mongolia, she said in an interview on Thursday.

In her written interview with Mongolia's Montsame news agency, Park stressed that promoting free trade among nations across the world is a "shortcut" to achieving a global economic recovery.

The interview was published a day before the two-day ASEM summit in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar, which will bring together leaders of more than 50 Asian and European countries, including Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

"(Participants in the summit) will engage in earnest discussions on the current state of the global economy, which faces daunting challenges, such as Brexit and low growth," she said in the interview, referencing Britain's exit from the EU.

"Under such a worrisome situation of the recent global trend of rising trade protectionism and neo-isolationism, I will highlight the fact that the expansion of free trade will be a shortcut to achieving a global economic recovery and sustainable growth."

The president also said that she would use the multilateral summit to stress the importance of cooperation among ASEM members in tackling the North Korean nuclear issue, which she called the "biggest stumbling block" on the path toward greater connectivity and the realization of the potential for cooperation between Asia and Europe.

Touching on Pyongyang's nuclear development, Park pointed out that it goes against Mongolia's declaration as a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone.

"(North Korea's nuclear program) runs counter to both the spirit embodied in Mongolia's declaration as a 'Nuclear Weapons Free Zone' and my conviction that the vision for a nuclear-free world must begin with the Korean Peninsula," she said.

Looking back on the 26 years since South Korea and Mongolia established diplomatic ties, Park said the countries have made "rapid and significant progress" on the back of the "similarities in ethnicity, language and traditions."

"I believe relations between our two nations have enormous development potential," she said.

"If we continue to strive to enhance cooperation in the economy and various areas on the basis of the comprehensive partnership between the two countries while diversifying substantive cooperation and invigorating collaboration in the private sector, the future of our bilateral relations will become even brighter."

Commenting on the expected outcome of her planned summit with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, Park said that the two countries will sign a series of arrangements for cooperation in various areas, including telemedicine, health insurance and pharmaceuticals. (Yonhap)