OREANDA-NEWS. April 30, 2010. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received Lee Sang-deuk, a deputy of the National Assembly, Special Envoy of the President of the Republic of Korea, who had arrived in Ashgabat leading a representative delegation.

Expressing gratitude for the cordial welcome extended in the Turkmen land, the guest conveyed the heartfelt greetings of President of the Republic of Korea Lee Myung-bak who had addressed the wishes of good health and new accomplishments in ongoing reforms and changes to the Turkmen leader. It was noted that it was the prudent, well thought-out policy pursued by Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and the large-scale development programmes launched on his initiative that had enabled Turkmenistan to maintain the high rate of economic growth and rank among dynamically developing countries of the world despite global financial crisis.

Thanking for the kind words the leader of the Turkmen state said that Turkmenistan prioritizing comprehensive intensification of wide international cooperation viewed the Republic of Korea as a very important and promising partner with the profound potential and resources.

During the meeting Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and the Special Envoy of the President of the friendly country exchanged views on the prospects for Turkmen-Korean cooperation in a wide spectrum including the political, economic and humanitarian spheres.

Underscoring Turkmenistan’s increasing role as one of the world’s energy producers, the guest said that the Korean business circles, in particular the large companies, the top managers of which had been included in the accompanying delegation to Ashgabat, were keenly interested in establishing full-scale cooperation in oil and gas industry as a major segment of both economies.

The priority fields included trade, ecology, construction, education, textile industry, transport and communications and many others in which cooperation was deemed most effective for complementarity in Turkmen and South Korean economies.

Lee Sang-deuk noted that the Republic of Korea ranking among the world’s leaders in high technologies stood ready to offer its scientific and technological innovations and actively collaborate in ongoing national programmes in Turkmenistan as well as new joint projects at the national and regional levels and provide assistance in training highly qualified specialists with the view of supporting small and medium-sized businesses in the country.

Focusing on the mutual readiness of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Korea to build a constructive international dialogue on an equal and mutually advantageous basis, the President and his guest emphasized with satisfaction that the countries had fostered relations and significantly intensify exchange visits at various levels in recent years.

The guest said that he had heard much about the Turkmen leader’s profound contribution to promoting sports and physical culture in the country, his concern and efforts to propagate all types of sports including tae kwon do, which was one of the most popular sports in the Republic of Korea. Taking an opportunity the Special Envoy of the President of the Republic of Korea presented the tae kwon do 7 dan black belt certificate and special costume to President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

In conclusion Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Lee Sang Deuq exchanged the best wishes and expressed belief that traditional cooperation built on the best traditions of age-old friendship and mutual understanding between the two brotherly nations would be steadily developed.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to Turkmenistan Kim Chong-Yul attended the meeting.