S. Korean parliamentary speaker to visit Malaysia, Laos

SEOUL (Yonhap) - South Korea's parliamentary speaker will embark on an eight-day trip this week to Malaysia and Laos for discussions on economic cooperation with the Asian countries, his office said Sunday.
During his visit to Malaysia, the first leg of his official two-nation visit that begins Monday, Rep. Park Hee-tae will hold talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Mohamed Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak, the office said.
The two will discuss ways to strengthen energy and other economic cooperation between the two countries, it said.
Park will also meet with Pandikar Amin bin Haji Mulia, speaker of the House of Representatives of Malaysia, and discuss ways to increase parliamentary cooperation between the nations.
In Laos, Park is scheduled to hold talks with President Choummaly Sayasone and Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong, and express Seoul's will to continuously offer assistance in the fields of rural development and public health.
It is the first time for a South Korean parliamentary leader to visit Laos since the two countries forged relations in 1995.
Park will drop by Vietnam on his way back home for a meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Sinh Hung, the office said.