1. Libyan Foreign Minister Ashour Ben-Khayal will visit the Republic of Korea on June 3-6.

o His upcoming visit is the first visit to the ROK by a senior Libyan official since the outbreak of the civil war in Libya last year.

o Amidst the various support of the international community to the reconstruction of Libya since the civil war, the fact that the Libyan Foreign Minister chose the ROK as his first destination in Northeast Asia demonstrates the strong cooperative relations between the two countries.

o Foreign Minister Ashour Ben-Khayal, who served as the first Libyan Ambassador to the ROK from 1981 to 1984, is one of the Libyan officials who have a good knowledge of Korea. It has been nearly 30 years since his last visit to Seoul.

2. Foreign Minister Kim Sung-Hwan will meet with Minister Ashour on June 5, and commend the Libyan people’s efforts toward democracy. The two sides will also discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern, including the ROK’s efforts to support Libya’s reconstruction, and Libya’s support to the ROK companies operating in the country.

3. During his visit to Korea, Foreign Minister Ashour will also pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik, meet with the Minister of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs and the Minister of Health and Welfare, and attend a dinner hosted by the Chairman of the International Contractors Association of Korea. After his visit to Seoul, he will travel to Japan and China.


                                Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFAT

* unofficial translation