S. Korea opens consulate general in Irkutsk

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea opened a consulate general in the Russian
city of Irkutsk Wednesday to help strengthen the two nations' cooperation on
energy and natural resources, Seoul's foreign ministry said.
A related ceremony was held in the Siberian city, attended by more than 100
Russian and South Korean officials as well as ethnic Koreans in the area. They
included Deputy Governor of Irkutsk Region Yury Gurtovoy, Mayor of Irkutsk
Vladimir Yakubovsky, and South Korean Ambassador to Russia Lee Kyu-hyung, the
ministry said.
Establishment of the diplomatic mission was agreed on in a 2004 summit between
the leaders of the two countries as a growing number of South Korean companies
seek to join the development of the Far Eastern and Siberian region.
It became the third South Korean consulate general in Russia following those in
Vladivostok and St. Petersburg.
"The opening of the consulate general in Irkutsk is expected to help boost
cooperation and human exchanges between South Korea and the Siberian region
including Irkutsk in major sectors such as the economy, culture, education, and
tourism," the foreign ministry said in a press release.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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