S. Korea, New Zealand Vice Foreign Ministers Meet in Seoul

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- Vice foreign ministers of South Korea and New Zealand met in Seoul on Thursday and discussed ways to boost cooperation in energy and other fields of mutual interest amid the conflict in the Middle East, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

During the meeting, South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo and New Zealand Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Bede Corry exchanged views on major regional and international issues, including the Middle East conflict, and developments on the Korean Peninsula and Pacific island countries, according to the ministry.

Park said the meeting was meaningful as it marked the first bilateral high-level consultation between the two foreign ministries since the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership last year.

Noting that South Korea is New Zealand's largest supplier of refined petroleum products, Corry called for close coordination between the two sides on energy supply issues amid the Middle East crisis.

Corry also emphasized the growing importance of close communication between like-minded countries amid increasing uncertainty in global circumstances, the ministry said.