S. Korean PM calls for continued cooperation with New Zealand

South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon has called for continued cooperation with New Zealand,... stressing their strong friendship as New Zealand christened a new Korean-made ship.He made the remarks Friday at the christening ceremony at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan.The ship is a logistics support vessel for the New Zealand navy.The 23-thousand ton vessel was named Aotearoa the Maori name for New Zealand,... meaning "land of the long white cloud."Lee said the name reminds him of the country's beautiful landscape and the strong spirit of the Maori people.The ship, he said, will help defend the Pacific region.It was ordered in 2016... and will be handed to the New Zealand navy next year.