The message reads, in part:
“It is symbolic that your meeting is taking place during the Eastern Economic Forum. This obviously testifies to the growing role of the regions in developing Russian-Korean relations and mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation.
The theme you have chosen this year – Exploring New Opportunities – is highly relevant. It reflects our mutual striving to develop modern, advanced forms and models of interregional cooperation, including priority development areas.
The current forum has gathered representatives of seven provinces and cities of the Republic of Korea and 11 Russian regions. The latter include almost all regions and territories of the Russian Far East, which now accounts for over 40 percent of trade with Russia’s Korean partners and has truly unique potential for implementing joint projects in shipbuilding, fishing, gas production, maritime shipping, agriculture, healthcare, tourism and Arctic development.
I hope that you will hold constructive, meaningful discussions and that your ideas and initiatives will be in demand in practice and will further promote partnership between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea.”