S. Korean president arrives in Sweden for talks on Korea-EU FTA

(ATTN: CHANGES dateline; RECASTS headline, lead paras; UPDATES with Lee's arrival in
Stockholm)
By Byun Duk-kun
STOCKHOLM, July 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak arrived in
the Swedish capital Saturday on a three-day visit for talks with Prime Minister
Fredrik Reinfeldt on bilateral issues and an envisioned trade deal between South
Korea and the European Union.
The Swedish prime minister is serving in the rotating presidency of the EU until
the end of the year. Lee's arrival here came after a four-day trip to Italy,
where he attended the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, held on the
sidelines of the annual G-8 summit.
Lee will travel to Solliden Palace, the summer home of the Swedish royal family,
on Sunday to meet with King Carl Gustaf. The palace is located some 400km from
the Swedish capital, on the southern island of Olan.
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 Prime Minister 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.
"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
(END)