PM invites Ecuador to send business delegation to Korea

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, left, shake hands with Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno before having a meeting in the presidential office in Quito, Ecuador, Tuesday. Lee, who is on an official visit to the South American country, suggested Lenin send a business delegation to Seoul to expand the two countries' economic cooperation. Yonhap

By Park Ji-won

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon has proposed Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno send a business delegation to South Korea to discuss ways to expand trade and investment between the two countries.

While visiting Ecuador, Lee met President Moreno, Tuesday, and asked him to send a delegation consisting of government officials and businesspeople to South Korea, Lee's office said Wednesday.

President Moreno was quoted as saying that he will push ahead with forming the delegation while asking Lee to share the South's information and communications technologies.

The suggestion was made during his first official visit to the country, as the first prime minister to do so in the two countries' history of diplomatic relations dating back to 1962. Lee embarked on his multi-stop trip to Kuwait, Colombia and Ecuador on April 30 as part of the government's efforts to diversify the country's diplomatic portfolio.

Lee also said in a press release that he promised to invest $9 million in Ecuador to build an innovation center in Quito, the capital city of the nation, while pushing to hold an art exhibition of Oswaldo Guayasamin in Seoul when the delegation visits the Korean capital.

Lee, meanwhile, urged support from Ecuador for the South's effort to create peace on the Korean Peninsula. Moreno reportedly expressed support for South Korea's push for peace with North Korea.

In an expanded meeting between Lee and Vice President Otto Sonnenholzner, the two countries agreed to boost cooperation in several business areas such as transportation infrastructure and renewable energy.

Lee also asked for Ecuador's support for Korea Airports Corporation, the state-run airport operator, in securing a $200 million order to operate an airport in Manta.