DHAKA, Nov 4, V7N- Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus encouraged South Korea to increase its investments in Bangladesh and to recruit more Bangladeshi workers, particularly in the shipbuilding industry. This appeal came during a meeting with South Korean Ambassador to Dhaka, Park Young-sik, held at the Chief Adviser’s Office in Tejgaon.

Prof. Yunus expressed Bangladesh's desire for a more expansive and advanced relationship with South Korea, aiming to deepen the existing ties between the two nations. Ambassador Park Young-sik shared concerns over North Korea's recent actions, including the deployment of troops in the Russia-Ukraine war and a recent ballistic missile test, to which the chief adviser emphasized the importance of peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.
 
The South Korean envoy highlighted the growing interest of South Korean companies in investing in Bangladesh, encouraged by the recent improvements in the business climate. He noted that Korea is particularly interested in hiring Bangladeshi workers for its shipbuilding sector and mentioned that many South Korean firms are already active in Bangladesh’s RMG sector within specialized economic zones.
 
Ambassador Park also underscored South Korea’s significant role as a development partner, with Bangladesh being the top recipient of Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF), currently totaling $3 billion across 34 projects. He mentioned ongoing feasibility studies for an additional 14 projects, which could raise Korea's investments in Bangladesh to $7 billion.
 
Reflecting on Korea's development journey, Park noted, “Just 50 years ago, Korea was also an ODA (Official Development Assistance) recipient country, so we understand the challenges Bangladesh faces and aim to be a reliable partner by sharing our development experience.” He also called for the early negotiation of an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the two countries to bolster trade and cooperation.
 
The chief adviser thanked Korea for its continued support and contributions to Bangladesh’s development across various sectors. Also present at the meeting were the Chief Adviser’s principal coordinator for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Lamiya Morshed, and the Economic Relations Division Secretary, Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky.