By Lee Kap-soo

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee, who are in New York for the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, hosted a luncheon for President and Mrs. Santiago Peña of Paraguay on Sept. 21.
 

During the luncheon, President Yoon requested Paraguay's support for the 2030 Busan World Expo and exchanged views on the development of bilateral relations.

President Yoon once again congratulated President Peña on his inauguration in August, and expressed his hope that cooperation between the two countries will expand in all fields, including politics, economy, and culture, following the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations last year and the inauguration of Paraguay's new government this year. 

In particular, President Yoon recognized that Korean companies in Paraguay, a gateway to the South American market, are contributing to the development of local communities in South America, including employment creation, and expressed his hope that investment cooperation between the two countries can be accelerated. 

In addition, President Yoon said that Paraguay plays an important role in the Korea-Mercosur Trade Agreement (TA) negotiations, and he hopes that mutually beneficial results will be achieved in the upcoming negotiations.

President Peña expressed his appreciation for the long history of friendship and solidarity with the Republic of Korea, including the Korean community in Paraguay, which spans more than 60 years, and expressed his hope for closer cooperation with Korea in various fields such as education, health, and infrastructure. 

President Peña also said that the Asuncion light rail project will be a priority for the new administration, and expressed his hope that the project will be an important milestone in promoting economic cooperation between the two countries.

The two leaders took the opportunity of the luncheon to continue to identify cooperative projects that will benefit the economies of the two countries.