Green growth think tank set to become int’l body in Oct.

The Pacific island nation of Kiribati has become the third signatory to ratify an agreement to convert a Korea-established think tank on green growth into an official international organization, Seoul officials said yesterday.

The signing by Kiribati paves the way for Korea to officially launch the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) as an international body next month, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Seoul set up the GGGI in 2010 as a think tank to develop strategies for environmentally friendly economic growth.

Korea has never established an international organization.

Seventeen countries have so far signed a convention calling for the GGGI’s transformation, including Denmark, Australia and Britain.

A transformation of the GGGI into an international body requires at least three signatories to ratify the pact.

Guyana, Denmark and Kiribati have ratified the pact.

Yonhap