Energy, economy top Lee’s agenda for Asean tour
Published: 15 Oct. 2009, 07:12
President Lee Myung-bak will leave for Southeast Asia next week to visit Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand for bilateral and regional meetings with Asian leaders, the Blue House said yesterday.
Lee will visit Vietnam from Oct. 20 to 22 and Cambodia from Oct. 22 to 23. During his state visits to the two countries, the president will focus on energy and economic cooperation. Lee will then visit Thailand from Oct. 24 to 25 to attend a series of regional summits linked with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
“The trip is designed to promote the Lee administration’s New Asia Initiative by improving bilateral and regional cooperation with the Southeast Asian nations,” the Blue House said. “Vietnam and Cambodia are emerging economies with rapid growth in recent years, and Lee’s visits to the countries are aimed at building the foundation for Korea’s new growth engine through economic and energy cooperation.”
According to the Blue House, Lee will have a summit with Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet on Oct. 21. The two leaders will discuss economic, trade, social and cultural cooperation between Korea and Vietnam.
“The president will seek the Vietnamese government’s support for Korean companies’ participations in the country’s large-scale plant and infrastructure projects,” the Blue House said. “Bilateral cooperation in broadcasting and communication industry, mineral resources development and construction of nuclear power plants will also be discussed. Measures to protect the rights of Koreans and Vietnamese residing in each country will also be addressed.”
Since Korea and Vietnam tied a diplomatic knot in 1992, bilateral trade has grown 20 times from $490 million in 1992 to $9.84 billion in 2008. The accumulated total of the investment has grown from $100 million in 1992 to $9.88 billion in 2008.
During his visit in Cambodia, Lee will have a summit with Prime Minister Hun Sen on Oct. 22. Agricultural, forestry and energy cooperation measures will be discussed, the Blue House said. After Korea and Cambodia reestablished ties in 1997, bilateral trade went up from $50 million in 1997 to $310 million in 2008.
The leaders are also expected to sign an extradition treaty and a revision to an agreement on the provision of Seoul’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund to increase the amount of Korea’s development assistance from $120 million to $200 million and reschedule the period from 2009 to 2012.
In Thailand, Lee will attend the Korea-Asean summit. He will also attend the Asean Plus Three summit where leaders of 10 Southeast Asian nations, China and Japan will join Lee. The South Korean president will also attend the annual East Asia summit, in which the leaders of the Asean Plus Three and India, Australia and New Zealand will sit down to discuss regional and global issues.
By Ser Myo-ja [[email protected]]
Lee will visit Vietnam from Oct. 20 to 22 and Cambodia from Oct. 22 to 23. During his state visits to the two countries, the president will focus on energy and economic cooperation. Lee will then visit Thailand from Oct. 24 to 25 to attend a series of regional summits linked with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
“The trip is designed to promote the Lee administration’s New Asia Initiative by improving bilateral and regional cooperation with the Southeast Asian nations,” the Blue House said. “Vietnam and Cambodia are emerging economies with rapid growth in recent years, and Lee’s visits to the countries are aimed at building the foundation for Korea’s new growth engine through economic and energy cooperation.”
According to the Blue House, Lee will have a summit with Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet on Oct. 21. The two leaders will discuss economic, trade, social and cultural cooperation between Korea and Vietnam.
“The president will seek the Vietnamese government’s support for Korean companies’ participations in the country’s large-scale plant and infrastructure projects,” the Blue House said. “Bilateral cooperation in broadcasting and communication industry, mineral resources development and construction of nuclear power plants will also be discussed. Measures to protect the rights of Koreans and Vietnamese residing in each country will also be addressed.”
Since Korea and Vietnam tied a diplomatic knot in 1992, bilateral trade has grown 20 times from $490 million in 1992 to $9.84 billion in 2008. The accumulated total of the investment has grown from $100 million in 1992 to $9.88 billion in 2008.
During his visit in Cambodia, Lee will have a summit with Prime Minister Hun Sen on Oct. 22. Agricultural, forestry and energy cooperation measures will be discussed, the Blue House said. After Korea and Cambodia reestablished ties in 1997, bilateral trade went up from $50 million in 1997 to $310 million in 2008.
The leaders are also expected to sign an extradition treaty and a revision to an agreement on the provision of Seoul’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund to increase the amount of Korea’s development assistance from $120 million to $200 million and reschedule the period from 2009 to 2012.
In Thailand, Lee will attend the Korea-Asean summit. He will also attend the Asean Plus Three summit where leaders of 10 Southeast Asian nations, China and Japan will join Lee. The South Korean president will also attend the annual East Asia summit, in which the leaders of the Asean Plus Three and India, Australia and New Zealand will sit down to discuss regional and global issues.
By Ser Myo-ja [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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