KFS Minister expands forestry cooperation in Southern Asia by strengthening partnership with Timor-Leste.

Seoul, January 12, 2024 ? Minister NAM Sunghyun of the Korea Forest Service (KFS) embarked on a pivotal visit to Timor-Leste from January 11 to 12, marking his presence at the “7th National Day of Sandalwood and Forestry,” the country's esteemed national event. During his stay, Minister NAM engaged in high-level official meetings to impart Korea’s successful forest restoration experiences and explore avenues for advancing forestry cooperation between the two nations.

With the inclusion of Timor-Leste as the 39th nation to establish bilateral forestry cooperation with the Republic of Korea since last April, significant strides have been made in fostering mutual collaboration. Timore-Leste's active engagement in high-level bilateral discussions underscores its commitment to exploring fruitful forestry partnerships with Korea, positioning itself as a pivotal bridge for forestry cooperation between Korea and the Southern Asia.

During the tree-planting event at the “7th National Day of Sandalwood and Forestry” on January 12 in the Municipality of Manatuto on January 12, high-level officials, including the Minister of the Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Forestry (MALFF), the Executive Director of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO), and various ambassadors, gathered to recognize the significance of forests and pledge to expand cooperation in the forestry sector.

In a meeting with Minister NAM, Minister Marcos da Cruz of the MALFF stated, “With Timor-Leste promoting a ‘1 Million Tree Planting Project’ by 2028, I am confident that Korea’s successful experience in forest restoration and technology transfer will greatly contribute to this project.”

Minister NAM Sunghyun said, “The KFS is currently promoting a variety of projects and training programs for diverse countries from Asia, Latin America and Caribbean, and Africa, aiming to share our successful reforestation experiences and technologies. I hope this time visit to Timor-Leste will strengthen our forestry cooperation, including sustainable forest management, utilization, and the establishment of a botanical garden in Timor-Leste.”