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South Korea and East Timor Agree to Expand Cooperation on Climate, Infrastructure and Education
The two countries' foreign ministers met in Seoul and agreed to broaden ties in climate change projects, infrastructure, education and law enforcement. East Timor's foreign minister made the first official visit by a counterpart since diplomatic relations began in 2002.
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South Korean and East Timorese foreign ministers agreed Monday to expand cooperation in climate change, infrastructure, human resource development and other areas, Seoul's foreign ministry said. The agreement came during a meeting held earlier in the day in Seoul.
East Timor's foreign minister's visit marked the first official trip to South Korea by an East Timorese counterpart since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 2002.
The two sides agreed to expand cooperation in education, human resource development and government capacity building, which East Timor considers key priorities for its national development. They also discussed greenhouse gas reduction projects, carbon capture and storage, maritime affairs, infrastructure and law enforcement aimed at combating transnational crime.
South Korea reaffirmed its support for East Timor's integration into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. East Timor became ASEAN's 11th member in October 2025.
Korea recalled its deployment of the Sangnoksu peacekeeping unit to East Timor from 1999 to 2003 during the country's independence and nation-building process. The ministers also discussed South Korea's policy vision for peaceful coexistence with North Korea.
"Cho explained Seoul's policy vision for peaceful coexistence with North Korea, while Freitas expressed support for the initiative. The two ministers also agreed to continue working together to promote regional and global peace and stability," the ministry said in a release.
