Korea agreed to a Green Growth Alliance with Denmark on May 12. This is the first time that Korea has launched an alliance in any sector except security. Representatives from the two governments held a signing ceremony at the Danish Foreign Ministry in Copenhagen, attended by President Lee Myung-bak and Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.
After the ceremony, the two leaders announced a joint statement on the alliance for green growth. President Lee said in his congratulatory speech that both Denmark and Korea will be "smart movers," leading the world economy toward the green growth through the alliance.
"The alliance shows Korea's will to achieve green growth by not only exploring new sectors like green technology but also by narrowing the gap between industrialized countries and developing countries," President Lee said. He also expressed his hope that more countries will participate in the green growth initiative and that the green growth alliance will lead the international community by combining Denmark's advanced green technology and Korea's growth momentum.
During the signing ceremony, a total of nine memoranda of understanding (MOU) were signed between the two governments and enterprises from both countries. Korea's Ministry of Knowledge Economy and the Ministry of Climate and Energy of Denmark signed an MOU on green growth cooperation in renewable energy and smart grids. Korea's Hyundai and Kia motor companies and Samsung C&T trading company also signed MOUs with Danish firms for green technology cooperation.
In order to create political momentum and secure international support, the two countries agreed in the joint statement to hold the first global green growth summit on June 20-21 in Seoul, attended by representatives from governments, international organizations and academia. Both countries also agreed to hold the first green growth forum in Denmark in October this year. They also agreed to hold a second meeting on the green growth alliance during the 2012 World Expo, which will take place from May 12 to August 12 next year in Yeosu, Korea.
Denmark is an international leader in the wind power industry and reducing the use of fossil fuels. The country's economic volume has doubled since the 1970s, but its energy consumption has not increased substantially, thanks to its energy consumption policies. Denmark aims to completely stop the use of fossil fuels by 2050.
President Lee and First Lady Kim Yoon-ok left Denmark for Paris later that day. In Paris, he will have summit talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The two leaders will discuss ways to advance the G20 Summit and enhance bilateral cooperation in trade and investment.
Source: Apec-vc
