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| ▲ South Korea's Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon (3rd from L, second row) and Jose W. Fernandez (3rd from R, second row), U.S. under secretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, attend high-level diplomatic talks on mineral resources cooperation in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on June 27, 2023, in this photo provided by the foreign ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ South Korea's Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon (L) and Mongolia's Chief Cabinet Secretary Dashzegve Amarbayasgalan pose for a photo at the seventh meeting of the South Korea-Mongolia Joint Committee, a regular high-level comprehensive consultative body between the nations, in Ulaanbaatar on June 26, 2023, in this photo provided by the foreign ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) S Korea-Mongolia-mineral
(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S., Mongolia launch joint consultative body on mineral resources
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By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, June 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, the United States and Mongolia launched a three-way consultative body on key minerals as they seek closer trilateral cooperation in mineral resources, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday.
Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon and his U.S. and Mongolian counterparts, Jose W. Fernandez and Jambal Ganbaatar, respectively, held high-level diplomatic talks in Ulaanbaatar on Monday and agreed to boost cooperation in strengthening global mineral resources supply chains, according to the ministry.
During the discussions, the three sides agreed to step up cooperation in the analysis of mineral samples and to share information collected from the ongoing projects between South Korea and Mongolia, as well as the U.S. and Mongolia, on resources exploration.
Separately, a government-civilian session was held for discussions on the market potential and investment opportunities of mineral resources, and other opportunities in developing key minerals, such as rare earth metals and lithium.
In May, the three countries held their first working-level diplomatic talks to discuss cooperation in climate change, mineral resources, development and other areas in the Mongolian capital.
On Monday, Lee also met Mongolia's Chief Cabinet Secretary Dashzegve Amarbayasgalan at the seventh meeting of the South Korea-Mongolia Joint Committee, a regular high-level comprehensive consultative body, and stressed the importance of maintaining close partnership amid unstable supply chains in key minerals.
Lee said South Korea will "participate actively" in supporting Mongolia in the development of its mineral resources industry and building relevant infrastructure.
Seoul has been working to deepen cooperation with resources-rich nations to ensure stable supplies of key minerals amid heated global competition and supply chain issues.
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