Kazakh PM to visit Seoul next week

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov will visit South
Korea next week for discussions on how to follow up on a recent summit deal
between the leaders of the two nations, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday.
Masimov is scheduled to arrive here on Sunday for a three-day trip, during which
he will meet President Lee Myung-bak, Prime Minister Han Seung-soo and local
business leaders. It will be the first visit to South Korea by a Kazakh prime
minister.
In the prime ministerial talks on Monday, the two sides plan to discuss ways to
promote ties in various sectors including trade, energy, aerospace, agriculture,
and construction, according to the ministry.
President Lee traveled to the Central Asian nation in May and agreed with his
counterpart to upgrade the two nations' relations to a "strategic partnership."
The prime ministers will discuss details on how to implement the agreement, the
ministry said.
Two-way trade between South Korea and Kazakhstan totals around US$700 million.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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