S. Korean FM to visit Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand

SEOUL, Jan. 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan will visit Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand this week as part of Seoul's efforts to bolster ties with South Asia after a year of intensive diplomacy on traditional regional powers, his ministry said Monday.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak focused his foreign affairs in 2008, the
first year in office, on upgrading relations with the U.S., China, Russia, and
Japan. Lee made several trips to the countries.
The foreign minister plans to lay the ground for the president's pursuit of "new
Asia cooperation diplomacy" aimed at expanding Seoul's diplomatic channels, the
ministry said
"Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan is scheduled to visit Indonesia, Australia, and
New Zealand from Jan. 20-26," the ministry said in a press release. "The foreign
minister's visit to the three nations comes at the invitation of his counterparts
there. It is part of our new Asia cooperation diplomacy."
Yu plans to hold talks with his counterparts in the three countries on ways to
promote bilateral ties and work together to overcome the ongoing global financial
meltdown, it added.
Indonesia and Australia are among the Asian members, along with South Korea, of
the Group of 20 advanced nations who will have their second summit in London in
April. The first meeting was held in Washington last November.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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