ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Monday said that Pakistan was committed to a sustained and comprehensive bilateral engagement with South Korea. In a meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Sadiq said, “Pakistan is in pursuit of inter-regional and intra-regional connectivity, and Korea shines prominently in Pakistan’s strategic calculations for spurring innovation and technological advancement. The speaker said that cooperation in tourism and education will open up new avenues for both countries. Chung Sye-Kyun, Sadiq said Pakistan was a promising market for Korean technological and manufacturing expertise. “Pakistan’s strong agricultural base, richness in natural resources and Korean expertise in manufacturing and technology offers immense scope for joint collaboration,” he said. On parliamentary procedures, Sadiq said, “The Parliamentary Friendship Groups offers an excellent avenue for promoting inter-parliamentary relations.” He also underlined the need for frequent exchanges of parliamentary delegations between the two sides. Referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said, “The realisation of the CPEC manifests our shared dream of prosperity for our region.” Chung Sye-Kyun said that Korea was keen to explore avenues for joint collaboration in areas of trade, education, finance and manufacturing. He added that Pakistan’s strong agriculture sector and rapid economic growth makes it a highly attractive destination for Korean investment. Kyun reiterated Korea’s commitment to enhance inter-parliamentary relations and underscored the need for regular exchange of parliamentary delegations. He also attended the Guest Book signing ceremony and planted a sapling at the Parliament building. Pak-Korean Friendship Group Convener Qaiser Ahmad Sheikh was also present on the occasion. Published in Daily Times, August 8th 2017.