– Speaker Park Byeong-seug hopes for an early conclusion to Korea-Russia free-trade negotiations on service and investment
– Proposes a visit by President Putin to Korea
– Holds talks by phone with Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin of the Russian State Duma
-Nimish Kumar.
Speaker Park Byeong-seug spoke by telephone on December 28 with Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin of the Russian State Duma. During their conversation, the speaker said he wants the pace of Korea-Russia free-trade talks on service and investment to pick up.
Chairman Volodin responded by saying that the free trade negotiations are likely to be on the agenda of the second round of Russia-Korea high-level talks, and that Russia also hopes for an early conclusion so that the agreement can serve as a new driving force for the development of bilateral relations.
Speaker Park suggested that a high-level parliamentary meeting between Korea and Russia be postponed until 2021, with an exact date being set through working-level consultations. He also expressed hopes that President Putin would visit Korea at an appropriate time.
Chairman Volodin said he is ready to visit Korea as soon as pandemic-related travel restrictions are lifted, adding that he would convey Speaker Park’s invitation to President Putin.
Speaker Park said that given that Chairman Volodin is a very important guest to the Korean National Assembly, he wants to meet him in person at the earliest possible time. Chairman Volodin also extended to Speaker Park an official invitation to visit Russia.
The two leaders agreed to move forward the bilateral relationship between Korea and Russia as the two countries celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2020.
The phone call lasted for 30 minutes. Mr. Han Min-su, the speaker’s press secretary, Ms. Kwak Hyun-joon, director general of the National Assembly Inter-parliamentary Bureau, and Ambassador Kim Hyung-gil, the speaker’s senior advisor for diplomatic affairs, were in the room with the Speaker during the conversation.