President Moon Jae-in (right) holds talks with President Luis Alberto Moreno of the Inter-American Development Bank, at Cheong Wa Dae on Feb. 5.

By Lee Kyoung Mi and Sohn JiAe

President Moon Jae-in greeted President Luis Alberto Moreno of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) at Cheong Wa Dae on Feb. 5. Moreno is on his way to the upcoming PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 

Citing the infinite potential that Latin America has, President Moon said that, “In terms of economic growth, Korea holds a competitive edge across infrastructure, energy and IT, as it has earned relatively a lot of experience in those areas.” 

“I urge the IDB to work closely with our country and to play an active role so that Latin American economies can achieve significant economic development in the future.” 

In response, President Moreno spoke highly of the excellent educational system that Korea has, saying that, “If up-and-coming Korean youth come to Latin America to develop their experiences and capabilities, they will surely stand out on the global scene.” 

President Moon then expressed his gratitude for the role that the IOC has played in facilitating the participation of North Korean athletes in the PyeongChang Olympic Games, saying that, “Thanks to the IOC’s efforts, the PyeongChang Games will make it big, for sure. This will be a watershed for better inter-Korean ties and also to resolve the North’s nuclear weapons problems in a peaceful manner.” 

President Moon Jae-in (right) shakes hands with President Luis Alberto Moreno of the Inter-American Development Bank, at Cheong Wa Dae on Feb. 5.

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