OREANDA-NEWS. July 12, 2011. Prime Minister V. Dombrovskis held a meeting with National Assembly Speaker of the Republic of Korea PARK Hee-tae. V. Dombrovskis confirmed Latvia’s willingness to strengthen bilateral relations with the Republic of Korea, particularly in the area of economics, culture and education. The Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction with the ongoing cooperation with the Korea Importers Association (KOIMA), which has organized the exhibition with participation of Latvia`s entrepreneurs, and called on Korea to open the embassy of South Korea in Latvia.

During the meeting, the representative of South Korea told that the agreement has been reached on establishing the Baltic regional diplomatic representation of the Republic of Korea in Riga, which will provide support for closer cooperation with South Korea at the level of the Baltic countries.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of establishing the Samsung call centre in Riga that will serve the Baltic and Nordic region, creating 80 new jobs. It is planned that the call centre will start operating in August this year, and Samsung has invested EUR 1.2 million in its establishment.

The representative of South Korea told that in autumn 2011, an extensive cultural program is planned in Riga with a view to introduce the residents of Latvia with Korean cinema, music and national cuisine. These events are organized on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations of Latvia and South Korea.