His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam received in audience His Excellency Moon Jae-In, President of the Republic of Korea and Her Excellency Kim Jung-Sook who are in the country for a 3-day state visit. The official welcoming ceremony for the President of the Republic of Korea took place at Istana Nurul Iman, yesterday morning.

Along the way to Istana Nurul Iman, thousands of schools students waved Brunei Darussalam and Republic of Korea miniature flags to welcome His Excellency and Her Excellency.

At Istana Nurul Iman, His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri welcomed the President of the Republic of Korea and Her Excellency. His Excellency and Her Excellency were accompanied by His Majesty's son, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office as the personal representative of His Majesty, and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab.Rahaman from Istana Edinburgh. Immediately after arrival, His Majesty and His Excellency Moon Jae-In received the Salute of Honour, accompanied with the National Anthems of Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Korea and a-21 gun salute.

His Majesty and His Excellency the President of the Republic of Korea then inspected the Guard of Honour mounted by personnel of the Royal Brunei Land Forces. This is His Excellency's first visit to Brunei Darussalam since he was elected as President of the Republic of Korea on the 10th of May 2017.

Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Korea have fostered diplomatic relations since January 1984.  Both countries continue to enhance friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries continue to be broadened through various fields including economy, energy, education, ICT and people-to-people exchanges.

His Excellency and Her Excellency were then introduced to the members of the royal family, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran-Pengiran Cheteria; Speaker of the Legislative Council, Cabinet Ministers; members of the Privy Council, Deputy Ministers, senior officers, Heads Foreign Diplomatic Missions and their respective spouses.

Members of His Excellency's delegation were then introduced to His Majesty and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri. The delegation included Her Excellency Kang Kyung-Wha, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Her Excellency Kim Hyun-Mee, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; His Excellency Sung Yunmo, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy; Mr Kim Soo Hyun, Chief of Staff for Policy to the President; and Her Excellency Yoon Hyun Bong, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to Brunei Darussalam.

His Majesty, Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri together with the President of the Republic of Korea and Her Excellency proceeded to the Cheradi Laila Kenchana for the Audience Ceremony. Also in attendance were His Majesty's children, brothers and sisters;

- His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah;

- His Royal Highness Prince 'Abdul Malek and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Raabi'atul 'Adawiyyah;

- His Royal Highness Prince 'Abdul Mateen;

- His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah;

- His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah; and

- His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah.

Also in attendance were:

- Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah;

- Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Majeedah Nuurul Bolkiah; 

- Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and

- Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Umi Kalthum Al-Islam; as well as other members of the Royal family.

After the audience ceremony, His Majesty held a bilateral meeting with His Excellency Moon Jae-In, President of the Republic of Korea and delegation at Baitul Mesyuarah. Also present was His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office. His Majesty in his titah expressed hope to further strengthen the relations between Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Korea.

Meanwhile, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Korea, in his speech expressed his pleasure of meeting His Majesty again after their meeting in Singapore last November. His Excellency is also pleased to be in Brunei Darussalam on his first trip this year. According to His Excellency, since the establishment of diplomatic relation between Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Korea 35 years ago, it has been developing firmly in cooperative time and benefit both countries in various fields including infrastructure, energy, people to people exchanges.

His Majesty and His Excellency then witnessed the signing of three Memorandums of Understanding between The Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Korea. The Memorandum of Understanding in the Investment Promotion Cooperation was signed by Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Doktor Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister of Finance and Economy on behalf of His Majesty's Government while signing on behalf of the Republic of Korea is His Excellency Sung Yunmo, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The Memorandum of Understanding on the Recognition of Korean Intellectual Property Office as an International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority Under the Patent Cooperation Treaty for the Brunei Darussalam Intellectual Property Office was signed by Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Md Hussein, Minister of Energy, Manpower and Industry on behalf of His Majesty's Government while signing on behalf of the Republic of Korea is Mr. Park Won-Joo, Korean Intellectual Property Office Commissioner.

The Memorandum of Understanding in Science and Technology Cooperation was signed by Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Matsatejo bin Sokiaw, Deputy Minister of Energy, Manpower and Industry on behalf of His Majesty's Government while signing on behalf of the Republic of Korea is Her Excellency Yoon Hyun Bong, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipontiery of the Republic of Korea to Brunei Darussalam.

His Majesty and His Excellency expressed satisfaction with the progress with the significant bilateral cooperation in various fields that have been reached since His Majesty's state visit to the Republic of Korea in December 2014. Both leaders stressed on the importance of the two countries to strengthen cooperation in various field including trade and investment, infrastructure development, communications, tourism, people-to-people exchanges, defence, agriculture and halal industry. The Republic of Korea is the fifth largest trade partner and the country's second largest export market in 2017. The bilateral trade between the two countries have reached 1 point 21 billion Brunei dollars.

Source:
@BRUDIRECT.COM

by BruDirect

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