Shillong, Nov 16: As part of the 4th Edition of the India International Cherry Blossom Festival, a bilateral summit between South Korea and the Meghalaya government at the State Convention Centre on Saturday.
The summit was organized by the Meghalaya government and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Centre, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Institute of Bio-resources & Sustainable Development (IBSD).
The main focus of the summit was to exchange ideas on socio-economic partnerships and strengthen the ties between the Republic of Korea and the state of Meghalaya in key areas such as waste management, power and energy generation, restoration of environment particularly in areas affected by coal mining, besides cultural relations, tourism among others.
Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India, Shin Bong-Kil, led the delegates representing the Republic of Korea while delegates from Meghalaya was led by Home Minister, James P. K. Sangma and Forest and Environment Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui, along with senior government officials from the departments of Forest, Mining and Geology, Urban affairs and others.
Delivering his keynote address, Shin Bong-Kil expressed his happiness to be part of the 4th India International Cherry Blossom Festival 2019 and appreciated the hospitality and treatment he received from the people of the state.
He had come to Shillong along with a cultural delegation consisting of a Taekwondo team, a Traditional Korean Drum Troupe and a famous K-Pop singer. Another important aspect of his visit to Shillong was to attend the bilateral summit held on the sidelines of the festival.
He was accompanied by representatives from a Korean company which specializes in the fields of reclamation of abandoned mines and restoration of forest, environment and water bodies affected by coal mining and the India Head of Korea Trade Promotion-Investment Agency (KOTRA) to explore the possibilities of economic cooperation and bilateral trade and investments between the two.
The Ambassador stated that half a century ago, the Republic of Korea was an underdeveloped country with very little or no technology. However, at present, it has become famous for its fast growth and power in the field of technology, ship building and steel, apart from various other technological advancements.
“I was given to understand that Meghalaya was very keen to cooperate with the Republic of Korea in areas such as reclamation of abandoned mines, restoration of water bodies among others, in which Korea has the expertise and experience to carry out the same,†he said.
Shin shared stories of how Korea, like Meghalaya, had faced the problem of abandoned mines, water pollution and how his country acquired the technology for closure, reclamation, restoration, rehabilitation of mining affected areas and polluted rivers and water bodies.
He informed next week, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad K Sangma will lead a team of delegates from the state to the Republic of Korea.
“This will further strengthen the ties between the two governments particularly in undertaking various collaborative projects,†Shin added.
James shared his experiences of his recent visit to South Korea where he explored the kind of innovations and technology in which Korea has gone far ahead and established a name at the global stage.
He highlighted that Meghalaya is a state rich in natural beauty with a large and diverse variety of flora and fauna.
“Hence it is imperative to ensure that economic development in Meghalaya goes along with the preservation of its natural and living heritage and that is the cornerstone of the planning process of the state government. Climate change is a reality and sadly India is one of the countries, most vulnerable to it. Tapping the potential power generation of the state is another area where the two governments could collaborate,†James said.
James said that the bilateral summit has given them the opportunity, not just to showcase the rich tradition, culture, natural beauty and heritage of the two, but it brought about an opportunity to partner with likeminded political, social and business leaders.
Rymbui stressed that besides building partnerships in various key sectors, the meeting could also explore possibilities of the two governments collaborating in the field of education which is also an important aspect for the overall development of the region.
A presentation on waste management by the Korean company – Chamhana GW Co. Ltd was also made during the summit, besides discussions on restoration of the environment affected by coal mining in Meghalaya by representatives from the department of Mining and Geology and presentation by the department of Forest and Environment.
