Presidents of South Korea and Mexico Discuss Enhanced Bilateral Cooperation

SEOUL, May 14 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung held a phone call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo on Thursday to discuss ways to enhance their countries' bilateral cooperation in energy, the economy and culture. During the talks, Lee expressed hope that the two countries would further strengthen cooperation in energy and various other sectors as like-minded nations amid growing global economic uncertainties following the Middle East conflict, according to presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung. The South Korean president also emphasized the need to promptly resume bilateral negotiations on a free trade agreement. Mexico is South Korea's largest trading and investment partner in Central and South America. Sheinbaum expressed Mexico's strong interest in expanding practical cooperation with South Korea, including in the economic sphere. Both leaders said they were deeply impressed by the tens of thousands of fans who gathered in Mexico City earlier this month for a concert by K-pop superband BTS and pledged to further promote cultural exchanges, according to the spokesperson. Lee also accepted the Mexican leader's invitation to visit Mexico, she added.