S. Korean president heads to Sweden after G-8 summit in Italy

By Byun Duk-kun
ROME, July 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak was set to wrap up
his visit to Italy later Saturday and leave for Sweden, where he will meet with
the Swedish king and prime minister for talks on ways to improve ties between his
country and the European nation.

Lee's departure will mark the end of his four-day trip here, during which he
attended the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, held on the sidelines
of the annual G-8 summit.
The South Korean president also held a series of bilateral summits with leaders
of Russia, Australia, Canada and Italy.
On Sunday, Lee will travel to Solliden Palace, the summer home of the Swedish
royal family, located some 400km from the capital, Stockholm, on the southern
island of Oland, to meet with King Carl Gustaf.
He will hold a meeting with South Korean residents later Sunday, followed by a
meeting with Swedish veterans of the Korean War.
The South Korean leader's trip will be highlighted Monday, when he will hold
hour-long talks with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt in a summit
expected to address a number of bilateral and international issues, including
ongoing negotiations for a free trade agreement between South Korea and the
European Union.
Reinfeldt assumed the six-month rotating presidency of the EU at the beginning of
the month.
"We expect President Lee's visit to Sweden to be an opportunity to further
strengthen the cooperative relationship between South Korea and the European
Union, as well as their efforts to conclude the Korea-EU FTA," an official from
Seoul's presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, said.
"President Lee will also seek to increase the country's cooperation with Sweden
in areas where Sweden has competitiveness, such as the renewable energy, green
technology and nuclear energy sectors," the official added.
The South Korean president will Monday wrap up his three-nation trip that earlier
took him to Poland.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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