Ex-U.S. President Bush arrives in S. Korea

(ATTN: UPDATES with arrival)
SEOGWIPO, South Korea, July 31 (Yonhap) -- Former U.S. President George W. Bush
arrived in South Korea Friday to speak on the worldwide economic crisis and the
importance of ratifying a free trade deal between the two nations, organizers
said Friday.

Bush was invited as a special speaker at an annual forum organized by the
Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) on the southern island of Jeju from
Wednesday to Saturday, the federation said.
On Saturday, Bush will give a speech about the free trade agreement (FTA) between
South Korea and the U.S., countermeasures against trade protectionism and ways to
respond to North Korea's provocations, it said.
South Korea and the U.S. signed the FTA in 2007, while Bush was in office, but
the deal has yet to be approved by lawmakers in both countries.
Bush was scheduled to meet with chief executives of South Korea on Jeju for a
game of golf.
At the invitation of Poongsang Group Chairman Ryu Jin, Bush plans to visit the
city of Andong, 268km south of Seoul, on Monday, as well as the nearby Hahoe Folk
Village, a popular tourist destination for foreigners since 1999, when Britain's
Queen Elizabeth II made a trip there. The village features traditional wooden
structures, costumes, mask dances and exceptionally beautiful scenery.
Ties between the Bush family and the defense company Poongsan go back to November
2005, when the senior Bush, former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, visited the
traditional Korean city.
Bush will also give a speech at an Andong high school founded by Ryu before
returning home on Tuesday.
(END)