By Min-Jeong Lee SEOUL--South Korea has signed an initial agreement for energy cooperation with the Canadian province of British Columbia, to help local companies tap Canada's ample shale gas assets, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy said in a release Wednesday. Vice Minister Cho Seok, who is leading a delegation of officials from several South Korean companies including Posco (005490.SE), Samsung C&T Corp. (000830.SE) and SK Gas Co. (018670.SE), will also meet with Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA.LN) and Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK) executives to discuss cooperation in resource development, it added. South Korea has been targeting overseas shale gas assets in recent months in a bid to secure energy supplies. Earlier this year, the government set up a task force to study shale gas investment opportunities. In a landmark agreement in May, Mitsubishi Corp. (8058.TO), Korea Gas Corp. (036460.SE) and PetroChina Co. (PTR) announced plans for an "LNG Canada" project, in partnership with Shell, to pipe gas to the Pacific coast, where it would be deep-chilled and exported by sea. Shell has a 40% stake in the project and the three Asian companies 20% each. Write to Min-Jeong Lee at min-jeong.lee@dowjones.com
