PM begins 11-day trip to Kuwait, Ecuador, Colombia

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon waves at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday, before leaving for Kuwait, as part of his 11-day-long trip to Middle Eastern and Latin American countries. Yonhap

By Lee Min-hyung

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon kicked off on Tuesday his 11-day overseas trip to Kuwait, Ecuador and Colombia, Tuesday, which is centered on strengthening economic ties with the countries.

Dozens of leaders from Korea's private and public enterprises and state-run associations will accompany Lee to seek business opportunities. Major participating companies include Hyundai Engineering & Construction (E&C), GS Engineering & Construction and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).

As the first stop of the trip, Lee will visit Kuwait for four days until Friday. He will take part in an opening ceremony for the Sheik Jaber Causeway, a 48.6-kilometer-long bridge across Kuwait Bay. Hyundai E&C and GS E&C had joined the project.

Lee will then meet with officials from the country to seek opportunities for more Korean construction companies there. His trip to the Middle Eastern country has been arranged in celebration of the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Kuwait.

For three days from Saturday, Lee will visit Colombia and hold a meeting with the country's President Ivan Duque. Lee will discuss measures to develop the bilateral diplomatic relations to a higher level.

Lee will particularly seek support for Korea's bid to obtain associate member status in the Pacific Alliance, an economic bloc established in 2012 by Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Peru.

The prime minister will also discuss measures to enhance economic partnerships with Colombia. Korea is the only Asian country to have signed a free trade agreement with Colombia.

After Colombia, Lee will fly to Ecuador for a meeting with the country's President Lenin Moreno. Lee will stay there for three days from May 6.

This will be the first time for a Korean prime minister to make an official visit to Ecuador.

Before returning home, Lee will stop by the United States to participate in a ceremony to celebrate the opening of Lotte Chemical's ethylene glycol manufacturing facility in Louisiana.