Foreign minister calls for presidential visits to Indonesia, Australia

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- Seoul's foreign minister said Tuesday he will use his upcoming trip to Indonesia and Australia to lay the ground for possible visits by
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.
Minister Yu Myung-hwan said it was time for the South Korean leader to turn to
South Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa after a year of intensive
diplomacy with traditional regional powers.
Lee spent much of his first year in office upgrading relations with the U.S.,
China, Russia and Japan, making trips to each of those countries.
"I would like to recommend that President Lee visit Indonesia and Australia (this
year)," the minister told reporters shortly before his departure for a regional
tour that will also take him to New Zealand.
Yu plans to hold talks with his counterparts in the three nations on ways of
promoting bilateral ties and cooperatively addressing the global financial
crisis.
Indonesia, Australia and South Korea are among the Asia-Pacific members of the
Group of 20 nations, which will have its second summit in London this April. The
first meeting was held in Washington last November.
South Korea also seeks support from the two nations in its effort to secure
stable new energy sources.
Yu is due to return to Seoul next Monday.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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