Hanoi (VNA) – Transport Ministers of ASEANmember nations and the Republic of Korea (RoK) agreed to further promotecooperation between the two sides, especially in transport connectivity, at theirmeeting in Hanoi on November 15.

The 10th ASEAN-RoK Transport Ministers Meeting is part of the 25th ASEANTransport Ministers’ Meeting (ATM 25), which focusedon the completion of procedures for signing governmental-level multilateraldocuments to strengthen transport connectivity in ASEAN and between ASEAN andthe partner countries of Japan, the RoK and China.

During the event, participants were updated on cooperative projects between thetwo sides, especially outcomes of their negotiations on an aviation agreement.

Vietnamese Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The highlighted close cooperationbetween ASEAN and the RoK across the fields of investment, trade, tourism andtransport.

According to Minister The, the RoK is an important partner of ASEAN membercountries, with two-way trade hitting 160 million USD in 2018. The RoK islooking to expand trade exchange with the bloc, aiming to lift their tradevalue to 200 billion USD in 2020.

The RoK, through the strategic plan “ASEAN-RoK Transport Cooperation Roadmap”,always supports the group’s member nations in developing a regional transportsystem, The said.

On behalf of Transport Ministers of the regional countries, Minister Thethanked the RoK Government for its support for ASEAN nations in this field,especially in training human resources, developing and managing transport projects,and sharing technologies, saying that the activities have contributed topromoting transport development in the region, and enhancing connection betweenASEAN and other countries as well.

Keechoo Choi, Chairman of the MetropolitanTransport Commission of the RoK, said the ASEAN-RoK Transport MinistersMeeting has laid a foundation for cooperationbetween the two sides.

Exchanges between ASEAN and Korean Transport Ministers have drawn up aroadmap of cooperation through a series of projects to 2029, Choi said, addingthat the annual ASEAN-Korea Transport Cooperation Forum will serve as aplatform for exchanging information and sharing ideas between the two sides.

At this year meeting, the two sides discussed the technology transfer relatedto modern technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data, he said,noting it offers more opportunities for stronger cooperation between the RoKand ASEAN./.