Tuesday, August 31, 2010

S. Korea to co-host 'Mekong Development Forum' next week

SEOUL, Aug 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the Asia Development Bank (ADB) will co-host next week an international forum on the development of six countries situated on the Mekong River basin, the finance ministry said Monday.

The "Mekong Development Forum," scheduled for Seoul from Sept. 6-7, will focus on boosting cooperation between the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries and South Korea in such areas as transportation and trade, the environment, energy and telecommunications, it said.

According to the ministry, more than 50 overseas officials, including the ADB's vice president, will participate in the first GMS forum to be held in South Korea. Some 100 South Korean officials, scholars and businessmen are expected to be present as well.

The GMS refers to Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, which started a regional development program in 1992 with assistance from the ADB.

The program is designed to reduce poverty in those countries and help promote sustainable economic growth in the region. (Yonhap)

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