Park reaffirms business partnership with Poland

Korean President Park Geun-hye, left, and Poland’s President Bronislaw Komorowski, right, walk past an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Blue House in Seoul yesterday. [Joint Press Corps]

President Park Geun-hye agreed to upgrade the relationship between Korea and Poland from “future-oriented partners” to “strategic partners” after a meeting with Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski, who arrived in Seoul yesterday.

Komorowski is the first European president to make a state visit here since President Park assumed office in February. The two countries forged a future-oriented partnership in 2004, 15 years after establishing diplomatic ties. Korea already holds strategic partnerships with several other countries, including the United States, China, Russia and India.

“Korea and Poland will strengthen substantial cooperation as strategic partners,” Park said in opening remarks at the summit.

The two leaders also signed a revised version of the double-tax avoidance agreement, which the two countries tentatively agreed upon a year ago. The agreement, under which a credit is usually allowed against the tax levied by the country in which the taxpayer resides for taxes levied in the other country, was formed in 1992.

President Park said the agreement is expected to contribute to the revitalization of economic exchanges between the two countries. Park and Komorowski also discussed business cooperation in fields ranging from pharmaceuticals to technology, culture, education and defense.

The size of investment that Poland makes in Korea is the nation’s second-largest in Asia, trailing Japan. Earlier in the day, the Federation of Korean Industries, Korea’s leading business lobby group, hosted a luncheon at the request of the Polish president. Huh Chang-soo, chairman of the lobby, said in a welcome address that Korea is the “most optimal economic cooperation partner for Poland, the ‘tiger of East Europe,’?” which is accomplishing economic growth at a rapid pace.

He expressed hopes that more Korean companies would take part in infrastructure construction projects being planned in Poland. There are some 140 Korean companies that have made forays into Poland.

BY SEO JI-EUN [spring@joongang.co.kr]