President Lee to attend APEC summit in Singapore

SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak will visit
Singapore next weekend to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
summit, his office said Thursday.
Lee and the leaders of 20 other Pacific Rim countries plan to discuss ways to
ensure economic growth across the region, spur regional economic integration, and
foster global trade liberalization, according to the presidential office, Cheong
Wa Dae.
In the first session on Nov. 14 to be presided over by Singaporean Prime Minister
Lee Hsien Loong, participants plan to discuss strategies for overcoming the
economic crisis and positioning member economies for a sustainable post-crisis
recovery, it said.
Lee is also scheduled to attend the APEC CEO Summit and deliver a keynote speech
tilted "Asia's growth strategy after the crisis: ways to make use of the G-20
process," Cheong Wa Dae said. South Korea has been chosen to host a G-20 summit
in November next year.
The second session the following day will address the issue of "connecting the
region and promoting free trade and an open market," Cheong Wa Dae added.
Lee will depart for Singapore on Nov. 13 and return home the following Sunday.
APEC groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan,
South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the
Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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