The foreign ministers of South Korea and Brazil agreed Monday to increase economic, political and scientific cooperation between the two growing economies, Seoul officials said Tuesday.

Kim Sung-hwan met with Antonio Patriota in the capital Brasilia and discussed collaboration in trade, industry, scientific technology, agriculture and climate change. They also agreed to step up diplomatic cooperation in Africa and Southeast Asia.

“During the talks, Kim sought measures to reinforce omnidirectional cooperation with Brazil, which is Korea’s top trade partner and investment destination in Latin America,” the Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement. 

The meeting marked the first visit by Korea’s top diplomat in 17 years. The two nations initiated diplomatic relations in 1959.

Brazil was the last leg of Kim’s weeklong tour to Latin America that also led him to Colombia, Peru and Chile last week.

Kim asked Patriota to provide special attention and support to 50,000 Korean immigrants, expanding investment by Korean companies there and their social responsibility activities.

The two ministers also agreed to work together for the success of Rio+20, the U.N. Conference on Sustainable Development to be held in Brazil next month.

On the sidelines of the meeting, they clinched an agreement for cooperation between the newly launched Korea National Diplomatic Academy and Rio Branco, Brazil’s diplomat training institute.

Affiliated with the ministry, the KNDA is scheduled to begin its first semester in the second half of 2013, aiming to nurture negotiators who are proficient in regional and global issues and have expertise in nontraditional diplomatic affairs.

Korea is striving to boost partnerships with Latin America as it antes up for the region’s abundant natural resources, dynamic infrastructure development and fast-growing consumer markets.

The number of Korean firms that branched out into Latin America’s largest economy rocketed fivefold over the last five years to more than 150, according to the ministry. POSCO, Samsung, LG, SK and other companies together invested $4.8 billion in Brazil last year. Bilateral trade volume more than doubled to $18.1 billion between 2008 and 2011.

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)