By Lee Tae-hoon
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos will visit Seoul next week to explore the possibility of forging a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) and greater economic collaboration, a Cheong Wa Dae official said Wednesday.
He said Santos will arrive on Sept. 14 for a three-day state visit to have “in-depth discussions on the critical pending issues of mutual concern and a vision for the future.”
On the first day of his tour, he is scheduled to have a summit with President Lee Myung-bak to discuss bilateral economic cooperation, including the FTA.
The official said the agenda of the talks includes “Cooperation on energy and resources, infrastructure and plant construction, science and technology and cultural exchanges.”
While in South Korea, Santos is expected to visit the War Memorial and the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that divides the two Koreas.
He is also planning to have a meeting with business leaders and have a tour of industrial facilities, including Hyundai Heavy Industries and SK Corporation.
Trade volume between the two countries amounted to $782 million last year.
Colombia was the only country in Central and South America that sent troops to help the South defend against the invading troops from North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War.