By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung-hwan will visit Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand this week for talks over bilateral ties, ministry officials said Monday.
Yu's visit at the invitation of his counterparts in the three nations is aimed at expanding South Korea's diplomatic channels globally under the Lee Myung-bak administration's pursuit of ``new Asia cooperation diplomacy,'' they said.
Yu will leave for Indonesia Tuesday for a three-day visit, the ministry said in a press release. He will meet with his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirajuda to discuss the two countries' ``strategic partnership,'' as well as cooperation in trade, investment and other sectors, it said.
The foreign ministers will also discuss ways of improving ties between South Korea and South Asian nations, it said.
On the second leg of his week-long trip, Yu will visit Australia from Jan. 22 to 24 and discuss a range of bilateral issues with Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, according to the release. In particular, the two sides will share views on bilateral cooperation to overcome the global financial crisis, it said.
``This visit by Minister Yu will help strengthen cooperation on joint efforts to cope with the global financial crisis with Indonesia and Australia, which are among the Group of 20 nations, along with South Korea,'' a foreign ministry spokesman said.
Yu will visit New Zealand from Jan. 24 to 26 for talks with Foreign Minister Murray McCully.