Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun held a meeting with Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay of the Kingdom of Bhutan on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 28, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two sides discussed the overall ROK-Bhutan relations, substantive cooperation, and the regional situation.

Minister Cho welcomed the first visit to the ROK by a Bhutanese Prime Minister in 16 years since 2010; noted with appreciation that the Bhutanese government prioritizes Gross National Happiness and pursues eco-friendly economic growth;  and suggested that the two countries expand mutually beneficial substantive cooperation.

In particular, Minister Cho explained that the ROK government is actively pursuing a transition to renewable energy in order to reduce carbon emissions. He expressed his expectation for continued close cooperation with Bhutan — the world’s first carbon-negative country — to address the global climate crisis.

Prime Minister Tobgay highly commended the Republic of Korea for its significant efforts to respond to climate change and achieve carbon neutrality even amid its sustained high-level economic development. He expressed his hope that the two countries will maintain close communication and collaboration across various fields, including the economy, climate change, and development cooperation.

The two sides exchanged views on regional and global situations as well as cooperation within international organizations.