Government policymakers and experts from around the world will gather in Seoul next month to discuss ways to promote "green growth," development strategies that seek economic growth through environment-friendly industries, organizers said Thursday.

The second Global Green Growth Summit, set for May 11 and 12, will discuss ways to strengthen international cooperation to support countries that wish to pursue green growth and green economy strategies, the state-run organizer Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) said.

Korea's government and GGGI will host the summit in association with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the U.N. Environment Program. The inaugural green growth summit was held in Seoul last year.

Key participants in this year's conference include UNEP executive director Achim Steiner, OECD director of the environment Simon Upton, GGGI chairman Han Seung-soo, Danish Crown Prince Frederik, Kiribati's President Anote Tong and Masayoshi Son, the chairman and chief executive of Japan's Softbank Corp., GGGI said.

Green growth has been one of President Lee Myung-bak's trademark policies and calls for lessening South Korea's dependence on fossil fuels and promoting the development of alternative energy sources, such as solar and wind power, and other technologies that increase energy efficiency.

Lee believes the strategy will provide South Korea with fresh growth engines for its economy and help the country -- one of the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitters -- reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases amid growing calls to curb global warming.

Korea hopes to develop the summit into a premier forum for global discussions on green growth, similar to the World Economic Forum, also known as the Davos Forum. (Yonhap)