South Korea’s Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon is on an official visit to Greece to discuss existing and future co-operation with his Greek counterpart.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Lee Nak-yon met on Monday at the Maximos Mansion where they discussed the prospects of more investments by South Korean enterprises in Greece and the possibility of increasing Greek exports to the Republic of Korea.
"I am certain that Monday's business forum, with the participation of the largest South Korean businesses, will substantially contribute to deepening our bilateral cooperation," said Greek PM, Tsipras.
"We had a very substantial discussion on cooperation issues and we found out that there is a huge potential for cooperation despite the great distance between our two countries.
"The fact that we share common concerns with respect to global peace and security, as well as the international challenges arising from a globalised economy, brings us closer," he added.
Both leaders also discussed security issues concerning the Korean peninsula with Alexis Tsipras saying the international community demand the immediate implementation of UN Treaties regarding the control of the ballistic weapons.
Tsipras noted that it was an opportunity for all to reflect that the correct use of new technologies can support progress and prosperity while the wrong use may lead to global disaster. "The nuclear threat is not a threat that refers to a certain area, it is an international threat," he noted.
"This is the message that Greece, as a power of peace, wants to promote. The message that the nuclear weapons have no place on the planet" underlined Tsipras.
On his side, South Korea's Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon thanked Greece for its support with respect to North Korea and said the two countries must deepen economic cooperation.
"At this moment that we are facing threats from North Korea, Greece is on our side and we thank you for the message you send to North Korea," he noted.
"We must broaden our trade transactions, to reduce the gap in the trade balance between our countries," he added, and invited Tsipras to visit his country on the occasion of the Winter Olympic Games that will be held in PyeongChang.
"The Winter Olympic Games will be held in February in South Korea. We thank you for your interest and hospitality. When I return to my country I will tell everyone about Greece's spirit of hospitality," stated Lee Nak-yon.