MALAYSIAN KING LEAVES FOR OFFICIAL VISIT TO SOUTH KOREA

SEPANG, July 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysian King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and his consort Tuanku Nur Zahirah Tuesday left for a two-day official visit to South Korea.

The special plane carrying the royal couple and their entourage departed from the Bunga Raya Complex of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at about 10.15am and is expected to arrive at Seoul Airport at 5.45pm local time (Malaysian time: 4.45pm).

The King and Queen are accompanied by two of their children, Tengku
Muhammad Mua'az and Tengku Fatimatuz Zahra, International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed as the minister-in-attendance, and senior government officials on the visit.

Among those present at the KLIA to see them off were Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and his wife Noorainee Abdul Rahman, and Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

Earlier, Tuanku Mizan inspected a guard-of-honour from the First Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment comprising four officers and 103 members from other ranks, accompanied by a 21-gun salute.

This is the King's first official visit to South Korea, to reciprocate the visit to Malaysia by the republic's President Lee Myung-bak in December last year.

During the two-day visit, the King and Queen will have a hectic schedule including an audience with South Korea Muslim Federation president Abdul Rahim Shin Man Jong, its managing director and deputy secretary-general Ahmad Cho Min Haeng, and Seoul Central Mosque chief imam Abdurrahman Lee Ju Hwa to hand over a monetary contribution and copies of the Quran.

The King and Queen are also scheduled to attend a dinner function with about 100 Malaysians including students studying in Seoul.

Tuanku Mizan and Tuanku Nur Zahirah will also make a courtesy call on South Korean President Lee Myung-bak at the presidential palace known as Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House) and visit Samsung City.