President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday held talks with visiting President Armando Guebuza of Mozambique as part of her energy diplomacy and discussed ways to expand resources development cooperation by offering Korea’s economic development expertise.

This was her second meeting in two weeks with the leaders from the resources-rich continent following her meeting with Ugandan president last week.

Trade, investment, and energy and human resources topped the agenda of the summit, during which they also discussed ways to cooperate such as by sharing Korea’s economic development knowledge, namely the Saemaul Undong, a movement in the 1970s to revive rural areas.

Mozambique, as a rising energy power that shows around 7 percent of growth with abundant resources of natural gas, crude and other minerals, is considered by Korea as an important economic partner.

“I believe that a vital foundation to move the two countries’ cooperation forward has been prepared upon your visit and our summit talks,” Park said at a luncheon at Cheong Wa Dae.

It was the first visit by the Mozambican president since the two countries forged diplomatic ties in 1993.

Guebuza thanked Park for her hospitality and noted that the two countries’ cooperation can work extensively on government and civic levels, in such fields as agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, transportation, telecommunication, energy, fisheries, minerals and hydrogen carbonate.

The two presidents also shared views that their cooperation should continue to expand in the field of developing human resources and various industries.

Advancement by Korean companies to Mozambique has been active such as Korea Gas Corporation that is constructing a gas pipeline, and Hyosung that participates in constructing solar power plant.

The bilateral trade has been on constant rise, showing a fivefold increase from $25 million in 2007 to $110 million last year.

Korea is currently in the process of opening an embassy in Mozambique’s capital Maputo and plans to operate an office of the Korea Investment Trade Promotion Agency within this year.

During the luncheon, Park mentioned how Korea could breed rice cultivar based on those brought from Africa in the 1960s and 1970s, which helped develop the rural areas. She said the experience and the spirit of the Saemaul Undong will also be of help to the development of Mozambique and urged mutual cooperation in the fields of infrastructure and energy resources.

Guebuza, who arrived on Monday for a four-day visit, also scheduled a visit to the Korea Gas Corporation’s liquefied petroleum gas terminal in Incheon and the Songdo International Business District.

By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldcorp.com)