BANGLADESH; KOREA (SOUTH) —Bangladesh is actively seeking to deepen its economic, technological, and strategic partnership with South Korea. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir held bilateral discussions in Seoul with Hyejin Kwon, Deputy Minister for Trade Negotiation at South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, and senior leadership of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), led by Vice-President Doh Young-Ah.
During the engagements, Minister Kobir welcomed the successful conclusion of the Bangladesh-South Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in August 2026, expressing optimism that it will facilitate Bangladesh's integration into regional supply chains following its graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status. To address existing trade imbalances, the state minister called for increased Korean imports of Bangladeshi goods, streamlined quarantine and food safety procedures for agricultural and fishery products, and South Korean support for Bangladesh's accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
In infrastructure and development cooperation, Kobir met with KOICA to request early concurrence on financing for Dhaka's mass rapid transit (MRT) projects, which are being co-coordinated alongside the Asian Development Bank. He also expressed interest in expanding development collaboration into larger-scale programs focusing on water security, climate resilience, skills development, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and digital public services, building upon previous initiatives such as the $39 million Saemaul Plus End Poverty Programme.
