Korea to open embassy in Lithuania

Korea will open an embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania, President Yoon Suk Yeol told his Lithuanian counterpart during their meeting on Wednesday. Yoon and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda held a summit in Vilnius on the sidelines of a gathering ...

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, shakes hands with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda during their talks in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Wednesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Korea will open an embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania, President Yoon Suk Yeol told his Lithuanian counterpart during their meeting on Wednesday.

Yoon and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda held a summit in Vilnius on the sidelines of a gathering of leaders from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, to which Korea was invited as a partner nation.

Yoon called for expanding cooperation with Lithuania — a leading nation in laser technology — in bio and other advanced industries. Nauseda agreed and said he hopes to increase cooperation with Korea's semiconductor and display businesses.

Nauseda also expressed interest in Korean self-propelled artillery and other weapons systems.

Yoon formally informed Nauseda of Seoul's decision to open an embassy in Vilnius for the development of bilateral relations, and the Lithuanian president said he hopes the two countries will further increase mutually beneficial exchanges and cooperation through their embassies.

Lithuania opened its embassy in Seoul in 2021.

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, holds talks with Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Wednesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Yoon also met separately with the leaders of Estonia, Slovakia and Finland.

Yoon and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas agreed their two countries' cooperation in the digital and cyber security sectors has been meaningful while noting the increasing cooperation in arms.

In his meeting with Slovak President Zuzana Caputova, Yoon asked for her attention and support for the smooth operation of Korean businesses in her country.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, shakes hands with Slovak President Zuzana Caputova during their talks in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Wednesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Caputova said she hopes Korean companies will invest more in Slovakia, especially in the electric vehicle battery sector, and promised to support their stable operations.

Yoon and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto agreed to strengthen cooperation not only in science, technology and arms but also in supporting startups, handling radioactive waste and jointly researching 6G networks.

Yoon congratulated Finland on its accession to NATO in April, and the two leaders reaffirmed the solidarity of the international community in assisting Ukraine while agreeing to cooperate closely to swiftly restore peace in the war-torn nation.

In all four meetings, Yoon requested support for Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan, according to his office.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, shakes hands with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto during their talks in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Wednesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

BY SOHN DONG-JOO, YONHAP [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]