(c) Ministry of Foreign Affairs

South Korea and Mexico have agreed to expand cooperation in various fields including Artificial Intelligence (AI), space, culture, and national defense through high-level consultations, and shared the need to resume negotiations for a South Korea-Mexico Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that First Vice Minister Park Yun-june held the 8th South Korea-Mexico High-Level Policy Consultation with Maria Teresa Mercado Pérez, Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs of Mexico, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 6 to discuss overall bilateral relations and measures for regional and global cooperation.

The consultation covered a wide range of agendas, including high-level exchanges, bilateral trade and investment, science and technology such as AI and space, culture and education, defense and security, elections for international organizations, and regional and global cooperation.

Vice Minister Park assessed that high-level exchanges have been active since the first summit between the two countries in nine years, held on the sidelines of the G7 Summit last June. She emphasized that the close friendly relations between the two countries are further strengthening, starting with the exchange of letters between the two leaders earlier this year, followed by phone calls between foreign ministers and leaders, and the visit of the President’s special envoy to Mexico to meet with President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Undersecretary Mercado stated that South Korea and Mexico are strategic partners with high potential for cooperation in various fields such as economy, technology, and culture, and expressed the Mexican government’s commitment to further strengthening cooperation with South Korea.

Vice Minister Park emphasized the need for the early resumption of negotiations for the South Korea-Mexico FTA, stating that it will contribute to diversifying supply chains for both countries and enhancing their capabilities to respond to uncertainties in the global economy.

Furthermore, Vice Minister Park said that a brotherly bond is being formed between the peoples of the two countries, and expressed hope that practical cooperation will be further expanded in various fields such as AI, space, culture, defense industry, and intellectual property based on this.

Undersecretary Mercado also expressed her hope that excellent Korean companies will more actively enter Mexico to further strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries.