PM meets with Mexico ' s Senate president SEOUL , Jan . 22 ( Yonhap ) -- Prime Minister Lee Nak - yon met with Mexico ' s Senate President Ernesto Cordero on Monday , and discussed economic cooperation , regional security and other issues of common concern , Lee ' s office said . During the meeting , Lee said that trade and investment between the two countries have been on a steady rise , and asked Cordero for continued support for South Korean firms already operating in or trying to expand to Mexico , the office said . Cordero told Lee that Mexico will protect the interests of South Korean firms already operating in the country , and will continue to take steps to help other Korean firms to expand investment there , according to Lee ' s office . Trade between the two countries rose from US $ 7 . 1 billion in 2006 to $ 12 billion in 2011 and $ 13 . 4 billion in 2016 . South Korean investment in Mexico amounts to $ 5 . 9 billion in auto , electronics goods and other sectors , officials said . Lee also thanked Cordero for Mexico ' s consistent support for Seoul ' s efforts to maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula , and expressed hope for Mexico ' s support for efforts to make the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympics contribute to world peace , the office said . Noting that Mexico has strongly condemned North Korea ' s nuclear provocations and expelled Pyongyang ' s ambassador to the country , Cordero pledged continued support for South Korea ' s efforts to build peace on the Korean Peninsula , it said . Prime Minister Lee Nak - yon ( R ) shakes hands with Mexico ' s Senate President Ernesto Cordero during a meeting in Seoul on Jan . 22 . ( Yonhap ) jschang @ yna . co . kr ( END )