Finland Times

 

Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen (R) shaking hands with his South Korean counterpart Chung Hong-won, during press conference in Helsinki after signing nuclear deal on Wednesday. Photo - Lehtikuva.

Finland and South Korea on Wednesday signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with a view to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the energy sector.

 

The agreement was signed by Finland Prime minister Jyrki Katainen and his Korean counterpart  Chung Hong-won, who is on a visit to Helsinki, official sources said.

 

“The deal will lead to strengthened cooperation between the two countries not only in terms of the operation of the nuclear power plants but in terms of safety, intelligence and personnel exchanges as well,” the Korean herald reported, quoting the statement of the Korean prime minister's secretariat.

 

The South Korea PM also expressed interests in exploring his country’s interests in north-east Europe in collaboration with Finland and using the Finnish expertise, news agency STT reported.

 

“We are eying the opportunity in this region, particularly when the ice of Arctic region is started to be melting,” Chung Hong-won told STT in an interview through email on the eve of his Finland visit.

 

The visiting PM said the time and place for travelling by ships in the Arctic area are getting wider because of the melting ice, which usually used to remain open for only a few months a year.

 

The visiting ROK PM counterpart Chung Hong-won met the president Sauli Niinistö (r) at the president’s official residence on Wednesday. Photo - Lehtikuva.

Pointing at the important role that South Korea plays in exporting natural gas and crude oil around the world, Chung Hong-won said the travelling distance between Asia and the Europe would be reduced by thousands of kilometres if ice melted. 

 

Chung said the Korean ship company has already run test operations in September and the environment issues would be taken into account while taking any initiative in this regard.

 

The deal signed on Wednesday was based on a draft prepared between the countries in July, Korean Herald reported quoting official sources.

 

This happened to be South Korea’s 28th bilateral deal including those with the United States of America, Canada and Australia, the report said.

 

The premiers also discussed bilateral relationships and the economic outlook in Finland and Korea, in the Euro area and the world as a whole.

 

During his visit, Chung also held meetings with President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö and Speaker of Parliament Eero Heinäluoma.

 

The South Korean PM is scheduled to return home on Friday after visiting to Russia’s Moscow on Thursday.