ISLAMABAD: The Korean embassy celebrated the country’s National Foundation Day and Armed Forces Day under strict pandemic protocols.

Ambassador of Korea Suh Sangpyo thanked the guests for joining him and his team for the national day.

Diplomatic ties between Korea and Pakistan were established in 1983.

Since then, relations between the two countries have increased rapidly in many areas. Besides the bilateral political consultation, investments by Korean companies in hydro-power, mobile phones and automobile sectors and joint ventures in the special economic zones were increasing,

The ambassador appreciated Pakistan’s support in safely shifting 390 Afghan nationals from Kabul through Islamabad to Korea.

He said Korea and Pakistan would soon conclude an MoU to preserve and promote the Gandhara Buddhist heritage, which included a $4 million grant.

“I’m sure that relations between Korea and Pakistan will be strengthened further in the years to come,” Suh Sangpyo said.

In his remarks, the chief guest, Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood appreciated various Korean initiatives in Pakistan and said he looked forward to working on building bridges and cementing relationships more.

“I assure the diplomatic community that Pakistan is a willing partner in peace and in the development in the region,” he added.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2021