S. Korea's Kim to make state visit

S. Korea's Kim to make state visit

JAKARTA (JP): South Korean President Kim Young-sam is expected
to arrive Saturday afternoon for a two-day state visit before
attending the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in Bogor next
Tuesday.

President Kim and his entourage, which include a number of
businessmen, will arrive here from Manila after making a state
visit to the Philippines.

The South Korean embassy announced yesterday that President
Kim, who took office in February, 1993, will proceed to Australia
following the APEC leaders meeting.

Press Attache Bong-Hyup Chung said Kim has also scheduled
separate bilateral meetings with other APEC members' leaders,
including the United States, Japan, China and Canada, during his
visit to Indonesia.

South Korea is now Indonesia's fourth largest trading partner
with an annual two-way trade reaching US$5 billion and is the
sixth largest foreign investor with total commitments of $3.6
billion.

Korea sees its role as bridge between the developed and
developing countries because while its economy is advanced enough
to assimilate the latest technology and to develop innovative
cutting-edge technologies it also is eager to share its
developmental experience with the developing nations.

Korea, known as the newly-industrializing country, with a per
capita income of $7,500, has been very active in promoting the
APEC process since its launch in November 1989.

In fact, the idea of APEC was first introduced in the South
Korean capital of Seoul in January, 1989 by the then Australian
Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

Seoul's vigorous diplomacy also played a crucial role in
facilitating the smooth admission of three economies-- Chinese
Taipei, China and Hong Kong-- into APEC during its third
ministerial meeting in Seoul in 1991.

Two other leaders of APEC members will make state visits after
attending the Bogor meeting-- U.S. President Bill Clinton on
Wednesday and China's President Jiang Zemin on Thursday. (vin)