Laos, North Korea seek economic cooperation
SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea and Laos agreed Saturday to foster economic cooperation as the Laotian prime minister began a goodwill visit, state media reported. The two impoverished communist countries signed an agreement to establish a joint committee for cooperation in economics, trade, science and technology, the Korean Central News Agency reported in a dispatch from Pyongyang. Laotian Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh arrived earlier Saturday accompanied by officials including his ministers of agriculture and industry. Bouasone and North Korean Premier Kim Yong Il held talks in which "both sides exchanged views on boosting the bilateral friendly and cooperative relations and matters of mutual concern," KCNA said. At a banquet, Kim and Bouasone made speeches lauding bilateral ties, it said. Laos is a single-party state with a ruling communist party that tightly controls politics but allows a liberalized economy. Communist North Korea allows no political opposition bu...