Former Danish Prime Minister Lars Rasmussen on Tuesday said as the new chair of a Seoul-led green growth think tank, he is "impressed" by Korea's achievements in sustainable development and is "looking forward to close cooperation with South Korea" down the road.

"South Korea has proved by example that you can develop a country in a short time, and at the same time do it in a sustainable way. I think many countries are eager to follow the South Korean example," Rasmussen said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency during his visit in Seoul.

Earlier in May, Rasmussen was elected to chair the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), a think-tank established by South Korea in 2010 that has recently been upgraded into an official international organization. GGGI works to help emerging countries achieve economic growth with environmental sustainability.

While in office as prime minister, Rasmussen worked closely with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak after visiting Seoul in 2010, and has since helped the country promote green growth, which is seen as one of Lee's trademark policies.

The former prime minister said regardless of the fact that Lee will no longer be in office after the upcoming presidential election in December, he is "looking forward to close cooperation with South Korea before, during and after" the change in administration, adding that the green growth achievements were largely due to a "South Korean effort" in general.

Regarding a recent proposal by the Danish government for South Korea to cooperate in the development of Greenland, Rasmussen said looking at the "Korean example" would help develop Greenland in an environment friendly manner.

"Some of the answers to the questions (about sustainable growth) raised in Greenland could be found in Korea. I am fully convinced we will see a closer cooperation between Denmark, South Korea and Greenland in the future," he said.

During his four-day stay in Seoul, the former Danish prime minister is scheduled to meet with South Korean government officials, including President Lee and others from the National Assembly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry of Environment, and the Ministry of Strategy and Finance.

Rasmussen served as prime minister of Denmark for two years before resigning in 2011 when his party lost power during the parliamentary election held that year. Aside from his position at GGGI, Rasmussen also heads the center-right Liberal Party, the biggest opposition party in the country. (Yonhap)