S. Korean foreign minister to attend conference on Libya's future

(ATTN: ADDS relaxed entry ban for South Korean firms in last three paras)
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan will attend an international conference this week on Libya's future following the near-collapse of Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi's regime, a diplomatic source in Seoul said Monday.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy called the extraordinary meeting of the Contact Group on Libya, set for Thursday in Paris, as nations worldwide step up their efforts to help Libyan rebels secure victory against Gadhafi.
Thirty-two nations and seven international organizations, including the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, are members of the group, which was established with the aim of coordinating international efforts to map out Libya's future.
"Minister Kim plans to attend the Paris meeting that will discuss and coordinate efforts from nations around the world for the reconstruction of Libya," the source said on the condition of anonymity.
The Paris meeting will also include U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and leaders of the Libyan rebels, the source said.
South Korea has officially recognized Libya's rebel-led National Transitional Council as the nation's legitimate government and pledged to offer humanitarian aid to the Libyan people.
Meanwhile, South Korea has relaxed its travel ban on Libya to give private firms conditional access to the Libyan capital Tripoli and the country's western regions, the foreign ministry said in a press release.
The Seoul government will closely examine safety measures of private firms before allowing them to return to their construction sites in Libya, the ministry said.
Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte, however, will remain an exception, it said.
kdh@yna.co.kr