On June 15, President of South Korea Moon Jae-in and Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Lofven arrive at the Grand Hotel in Saltsjobaden outside of Stockholm. (Image credit: AP-Yonhap via The Korea Times)

Korea-Sweden partnership expands on Startups, Sci-Tech and Environment field

On Saturday, President Moon Jae In and Prime Minister Stevan Lofven made agreements at a summit in Saltsjobaden, to widen the countries’ partnership in various field, particulary in response to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.   

According to the Blue House, President Moon and Prime Minister Lofven also had a discussion about promoting inclusive growth, along with gender equality, prosperity and labour-management relations.

The South Korea leader said Sweden was an “ideal advanced country” in every sector. How Sweden matured in politics, innovation, well-being, gender equality and labour-management relations were inspiring the President. 

Sweden has the Saltsjobaden agreement which is a model for labour-management negotiations. It was a treaty signed between the Swedish Trade Union Confederation and the Swedish Employers Association in 1938. 

After the summit, the leader of South Korea mentioned the highest trade volume between Korea and Sweden reached up to  US$2.9 billion in 2018. However president Moon said it has not good enough yet.

Since both of South Korea and Sweden are excellent in Sci-tech and ICT, it has “a lot of potential” to broaden cooperation in trade and investment, add the president.

At the Grand Hotel in Saltsjobaden, both of leaders agreed to expand their countries’ cooperation on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, sci-tech industry, climate and the environment sector.

According to presidential office, Korea Startup Center in Stockholm will be opened in 2020 as a center for partnership between startups in the two countries. 

During the summit, President Moon also demanded Sweden to keep supporting role in peace making on the Korean Peninsula.

Source: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2019/06/120_270671.html