President Mahinda Rajapaksa to undertake state visit to South Korea

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will undertake a state visit to South Korea from April 23 to 27 at the invitation of the President of South Korea, Lee Myung-Bak, said Presidential Spokesman and International Media Advisor Bandula Jayasekera in a release yesterday.

During his visit to South Korea, President Rajapaksa will hold talks with the South Korean President. President Rajapaksa will be accompanied by First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, the release states. Several bilateral agreements will also be signed during the visit. President Mahinda Rajapaksa will address a business luncheon co-hosted by four major Business Associations in Seoul and the Sri Lanka-Korea business forum hosted by the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will undertake a state visit to South Korea from April 23 to 27 at the invitation of the President of South Korea, Lee Myung-Bak, said Presidential Spokesman and International Media Advisor Bandula Jayasekera in a release yesterday.

During his visit to South Korea, President Rajapaksa will hold talks with the South Korean President. President Rajapaksa will be accompanied by First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, the release states. Several bilateral agreements will also be signed during the visit. President Mahinda Rajapaksa will address a business luncheon co-hosted by four major Business Associations in Seoul and the Sri Lanka-Korea business forum hosted by the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

President Rajapaksa will also meet with Heads of leading trade organizations in South Korea. A Sri Lankan business delegation will travel with the President to South Korea.

Relations between Sri Lanka and South Korea) dates back to 1968 when South Korea opened a Trade Mission in Colombo. In 1977, the relations were upgraded to that of an Embassy with a resident Ambassador for South Korea in Colombo while Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Japan was concurrently accredited to Seoul in 1978. In 1987 Sri Lanka opened a resident Embassy in Seoul. Sri Lanka’s exports to South Korea have gradually increased from US$ 18.4 mn. In 2004 to US$ 45.05 mn. in 2011. Coconut fibre, rubber products, articles of rubber and knitted and woven garments have been he major export items to Korea and value of these items altogether has constituted 36.7% of total exports in 2011. Other export items from Sri Lanka to Korea are rubber products, furniture, mattresses, tea, tableware and activated carbon, the release stated.