Jose W. Fernandez, the US undersecretary for economic growth, energy, and the environment, speaks at the fifth ROK-US Joint Private Economic Forum held Thursday in Seoul. (KCCI)
South Korea and the US are discussing ways to cooperate on 5G network establishments for a “trusted” network, said Jose W. Fernandez, the US undersecretary for economic growth, energy, and the environment, on Thursday in Seoul.
Touting Korea as a leader in the 5G sector, Fernandez said the US is currently discussing establishing 5G networks with various countries and that South Korean companies will have more opportunities to take part.
The remark from the top official came after President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden had agreed during their bilateral summit last May to enhance R&D cooperation in high-tech fields such as 6G, bio, and quantum technology.
Speaking at the fifth ROK-US Joint Private Economic Forum, Fernandez described the economic relationship between South Korea and the US a “linchpin” for stability and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region.
“Our 70 years long alliance has been at the test of time, over the years, it has grown and matured into a truly comprehensive and global partnership,“ he said. ”Our relationship ranges from maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region to promoting climate change, health and women’s economic capabilities, and new technologies to strengthen cooperation in science, technology, cyber, and space sectors.“
His South Korean counterpart, Choi Jong-moon, Seoul’s second vice foreign minister, also stressed that Korea is the “best partner for the US that shares democratic values and market economy.”
“South Korea is an advanced producer of high-tech products, and home to many skilled students, engineers, and scientists at the forefront of new technologies,” he added.
The fifth ROK-US Joint Private Economic Forum was jointly held by the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US State Department.
The forum was first held in October 2017 after the leaders of South Korea and the US signed a joint agreement during their bilateral summit in June 2017 in which they agreed to search for ways to enhance bilateral economic cooperation.
In this year’s forum, a total of 40 people took part including government officials and economic policymakers from both sides.
