H.E. Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, paid an official visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK) between 1 - 2 August 2024, at the invitation of H.E. Mr. Cho Tae-yul, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the ROK. This was the first visit to the ROK by H.E. Mr. Maris in his capacity as Foreign Minister.      

During the visit, Foreign Minister Maris paid a courtesy call on H.E. Mr. Han Duck-soo, Prime Minister of the ROK, on 1 August 2024. Both reflected on the special bond between Thailand and the ROK, built on a shared legacy in the Korean War. They also discussed ways to promote a more forward-looking partnership, especially enhancing trade and investment, future industries with particular emphasis on carbon-free and nuclear energy, and further facilitating tourism and people-to-people exchange, in order to capitalise on the existing strong foundation of the Thailand-ROK friendship.

On 2 August 2024, Foreign Minister Maris held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mr. Cho Tae-yul, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the ROK. Both Foreign Ministers exchanged views on the path towards more future-oriented cooperation in all aspects, particularly high-tech industries, namely (1) clean energy including nuclear and Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology, (2) digital technology and finance with emphasis on supporting ROK banks to establish virtual banks in Thailand, and (3) content industries through collaboration of both countries’ content agencies. Both also welcomed the completion of the first round of negotiations of the Thailand-ROK Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which will serve as a key instrument in boosting bilateral trade and maneuvering more ROK companies and their supply chains to Thailand.

Furthermore, the two Foreign Ministers welcomed the establishment of the Thailand - ROK Joint Cultural Committee (JCC), which will discuss cooperation on soft power, people-to-people and youth exchange, as well as best practices in the content industry. The Committee will be co-chaired by the Director-Generals of the relevant departments of the two Foreign Ministries, and will comprise of participants from both countries’ cultural and content agencies. Thailand is scheduled to host the first meeting of the JCC in the last quarter of this year.

On defense and security cooperation, both sides agreed in principle to establish a 2+2 Dialogue between Thailand and the ROK’s Defense and Foreign Ministries, to serve as a platform for strengthening bilateral cooperation in the defense industry, and exchanging insights on the current geopolitical landscape.

On people-centred cooperation, both agreed to work closely to boost tourism exchanges, including improving each country’s entry system to better faciliate the exchange of peoples between Thailand and the ROK. The Foreign Ministers also agreed to support the establishment of new employment schemes for Thai workers in the ROK such as the Working Holiday programme, as well as enhance existing schemes such as the Employment Permit System (EPS) and Seasonal Workers programme.

With regard to regional cooperation, both Foreign Ministers agreed to promote collaboration under ASEAN frameworks and Mekong-ROK Cooperation frameworks as Thailand is the current ASEAN-ROK country coordinator (2024 – 2027). They also exchanged views on regional and international issues, including the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

In addition, Foreign Minister Maris hosted a working lunch for leading Korean companies, to meet with Thai economic agencies in Seoul and discuss potential investment opportunities between the two countries. He stressed that Thailand’s strategic location at the center of Southeast Asia, was an advantage to ROK’s businesses, and could serve as a hub for further expansion of trade and investment in the region and beyond.