President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is scheduled to pay a state visit to Korea March 28‐31 at the invitation of the President.

The two Presidents will hold a summit on March 29 to discuss issues of mutual interest, including cooperation on energy and resources as well as infrastructure construction and other types of development collaboration. Following the summit, the President will host a state dinner for the Congolese President.

One of the most important issues to be discussed between the two Presidents is how to work together in the Congolese Government’s reconstruction efforts such as building ports, modernizing main roads and constructing power plants and housing units.

While staying in Seoul, President Kabila will attend a luncheon hosted by the heads of Korea’s four major economic associations and will be conferred an honorary doctorate from Hanyang University. The President is also scheduled to tour the Onsan Refinery and the Pusan Newport Company.

The Republic of Korea forged diplomatic ties with the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1963, and President Kabila made his first state visit to Korea in 2005. Sitting in the central part of the African continent, the nation boasts a vast territory amounting to 11 times that of the Korean Peninsula and a population of 68 million. The nation is also endowed with a variety of mineral deposits and abundant water resources. The President’s visit this time is expected to further strengthen friendly ties between the two Republics and make significant contributions to expanding substantive collaboration in various areas.