Skopje, 8 March 2024 (MIA) – The cooperation between the customs offices of the two countries, ongoing activities and projects, as well as plans and projections regarding the needs of the Macedonian Customs Administration and the opportunities for assistance from the Korea Customs Service were in the focus of Friday’s meeting of President Stevo Pendarovski with the Commissioner of the Korea Customs Service, Kwanghyo Ko, said the President's Office in a press release.

At the meeting, Commissioner Kwanghyo Ko informed the President about the official launching of the project for the Customs Administration of North Macedonia, funded by a US$4.8 million grant from the Republic of Korea.

This project, according to the President’s Office, will enable a system aimed at generating greater budget income and fight against crime and corruption. It encompasses the implementation of hardware and software for a data warehouse and the use of artificial intelligence tools to process data in order to identify potential risks.

President Pendarovski welcomed the commitments and cooperation between the two customs offices and noted that the successful cooperation is an example that should be replicated in other areas of the economy as well.

The President voiced gratitude for the assistance provided by the Republic of Korea aimed at building up the capacities of the Macedonian Customs Administration, and stressed that small and medium-sized enterprises will enjoy significant benefits as a result of the project, said the President’s Office.