Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on Friday voiced hopes for deeper ties between South Korea and Peru based on "multifaceted" bilateral cooperation triggered by their free trade agreement which took effect in 2011.

Lee made the remarks during his meeting with Peruvian Second Vice President Mercedes Rosalba Araoz Fernandez. She was in Seoul to attend a forum on future cooperation between Korea and Central and South America.

"I hope that on the occasion of Vice President Araoz's visit to Seoul, our relationship with Peru, South Korea's core partner in the Central and South American region, will be developed further," Lee said, according to a press release from his office.

The two sides also shared the view that they have to pay "active attention" to expanding practical cooperation in various areas such as infrastructure, the defense industry, health care and electronic government systems, as well as trade and investment.

They also agreed to work closely together to help South Korea become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2024-25 period and Peru listed as a member of the International Maritime Organization Council.

South Korea and Peru established their diplomatic relations in 1963. Two-way trade reached $72.5 billion last year. (Yonhap)