Georgia’s global relevance is rising as a key logistics and transit player in the Europe-Asia transport corridor, he noted, with significant reductions in cargo cost and duration.

Following Georgia’s proposal at the United Nations General Assembly in 2014, the first Annual Silk Road Forum was held in Tbilisi in October 2015, hosting 700 government officials and business leaders to discuss transport, energy and trade-related issues.

“This initiative closely relates to President Park Geun-Hye’s ‘Eurasian initiative’ aimed at developing transport and energy across continents,” he argued.

Georgia’s foreign policy priorities are “resolute and clear” -- fully integrating into the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Apkhazava stressed.

“The historic signature of the Association Agreement with the EU in 2014 marked an important milestone in the EU-Georgia relations and opened a qualitatively new phase in our cooperation,” he added. “Through gradual establishment of European norms and standards, the agreement sets our country on the course of political association and economic integration with the EU.”

The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, which went into force in September 2014, is particularly important as part of the agreement, the envoy underlined, adding that Georgian exports to the EU have increased by 15 percent. 

Georgia and Korea signed an agreement on avoiding double taxation this year. Bilateral trade has increased markedly, alongside Korean tourists to Georgia, which boasts scenic mountains and cultural treasures. The K-Water company started constructing the Nenskra Hydropower Plant in Georgia last September.

A Korean diplomatic office also opened in capital Tbilisi last December. A Georgian parliamentary delegation led by Chairman David Usupashvili visited Seoul in February and this was reciprocated by Korean National Assembly Speaker Chung Ui-hwa’s visit to Tbilisi in April, which produced a memorandum of understanding in cooperation.

By Joel Lee (joel@heraldcorp.com)