(Unofficial Translation)

Prime Minister Hun Sen, I was sorry that I was unable to see you in Busan last year, but I am very pleased that you are visiting Korea at this time.   

Last year, I was concerned to learn that your mother-in-law was ill and in critical condition. It is a relief that she has passed the crisis stage. I wish her a speedy recovery and good health over a long period.

Proactive cooperation rendered by Asian countries enabled the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit and the Mekong-Republic of Korea Summit to be held successfully last year, bringing us even closer together as friends. I am grateful to the Prime Minister for having proposed the Mekong-Republic of Korea Summit. Korea will continue to further expand collaboration with ASEAN and Mekong countries going forward. 

Relations between our two countries have also grown more mature. I’m pleased that the cooperative projects we discussed during my state visit to Cambodia in March last year are coming to fruition one by one. With the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters and the Agreement for the Elimination of Double Taxation, the foundation for institutional cooperation has been strengthened further, and I now have great expectations for bilateral cooperation being actively pursued in various fields, including agriculture, finance and development as well as a joint feasibility study on a free trade agreement.

Korea will actively cooperate for the success of the ASEM Summit to be held in Cambodia this year. The theme of the meeting, “Strengthening Multilateralism for Shared Growth,” is very timely. I hope that the Prime Minister will also share a lot of wisdom for mutual development at the second P4G Summit to be held in Korea this year.

I’d like to see mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries strengthened further this year. Thank you.