Sri Lanka is looking to enhance the existing political and economic ties with South Korea, according to Sri Lanka’s designated envoy to South Korea Mrs. Manisha Gunasekera.

Gunasekera said this, when she met with the local business community dealing with South Korea at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, recently. Designated envoys and trade counsellors visits the Ceylon Chamber and meets the local businesses dealing with the respective country, as a customary practice.

Speaking further, she said Sri Lanka’s economic links with South Korea mainly comes from the large number of Sri Lankans working in that country and also nearly a half a billion dollars’ worth trade done between the two nations.

The trade between Sri Lanka and South Korea during the year 2014 has run up to US$ 485 million, with the balance of trade standing in favor of South Korea, accounting for a sum of US$ 340 million.

Gunasekera plans to help lift Sri Lankan exports to that country and also focus on attracting Korean investments into Sri Lanka, which stands at a marginal level.

According to Gunasekera, apart from focusing on developing trade and investment between the two nations, Sri Lanka will also focus on strengthening the political relationship with South Korea.

“Sri Lanka did not have a South Korean Presidential visit for the last 37 years’, she said.

Mr. Mahen Kariyawasan, President of the Sri Lanka – Korea Economic Cooperation Committee of the Ceylon Chamber, Ms. Lilakshini De Mel, Senior Assistant Secretary General of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and representatives from Sri Lankan companies dealing with South Korea were present at the meeting.