'아프리카 대륙'과 새 동반자 관계•북핵 외교 강화
President Park Geun-hye will be making a state visit to three African countries this week, the first during her presidency.
South Korea's foreign minister says the visits will focus on strengthening both trade and diplomatic ties, as well as on issues related to North Korea.
We begin with Kwon Jang-ho.
Considered a final frontier of vast, untapped opportunity and resources, Africa has been receiving growing interest from world powers.
Obama and Xi Jinping made state visits last year, and now South Korea's President Park is following suit.
She'll first arrive in Ethiopia, before making her way to Uganda, and finally Kenya.
Park will also be the first Korean President to speak at the African Union, dubbed the African UN.
She will be looking to highlight and share the success story of Korea's development from a third world country to a leading economic player in the world.
"African nations are very much aware of the economic and social struggles that Korea endured such as colonization, war and poverty. They have expressed that Korea is seen as a benchmark for development."
Another issue that will be covered on these state visits will be North Korea.
All three countries have had diplomatic relations with the regime in the past.
Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, in particular, had a close relationship at the beginning of his presidency, making three visits to Pyongyang in the eighties to meet with Kim Il-sung.
But relations have since cooled, with Museveni becoming the first foreign head of state to visit President Park after she took office in 2013.
"The issues of peace and unification on the Korean peninsula, and the recent UN Security Council Resolution 2270, require help and cooperation from these countries. So far, they have been very accommodating."
After these visits, President Park will be making her way straight to France, as she looks to continue expanding South Korea's influence on the international stage through summit diplomacy.
Kwon Jang-Ho, Arirang News.
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