The President will leave for Bali, Indonesia on November 7, then make his way to Thailand for a two-day stay from November 9 to 11.

[The 5th Bali Democracy Forum: 11.8-9]
In Bali, The President will be attending the Bali Democracy Forum on November 8 at the invitation of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The President will also give a keynote speech on the importance of democracy as a universal value, the progress of democracy worldwide, and the need for its improvement to further international peace, security, and prosperity. Afterward, the two presidents will co-chair the forum''s general debate, which will discuss topics such as effective democratic global governance and its role in fostering international peace and security, economic growth, and improvement of human rights. The title for this year''s forum is ”Relevance of advancing democratic principles at the global setting.” 

[Summit with the leader of Indonesia]
On the same day, The President will have a bilateral summit with President Yudhoyono to pledge to further enhance the recently growing strategic partnership between the two nations and also discuss comprehensive cooperative measures for promoting a closer friendship between the people of their two countries, ahead of next year’s 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

The two nations have seen a two-fold hike in trade volume in the past five years and investments between the two nations are on the rise. The bilateral talks for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) have also been well underway. In addition, the two countries have maintained close ties in heavy industry, diffusion, and green growth and will soon sign a MOU to promote cooperation on green cars.

After the summit, President Yudhoyono will award The President the Star of the Republic of Indonesia, the highest honor of Indonesia, for his contribution to the bilateral relationship between Korea and Indonesia.

[Official visit to Thailand]
The President was invited to Thailand by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to pay a visit from November 9 to 11, marking the first such visit by a Korean president in the past 31 years. On November 10, The President is scheduled to have a meeting with his Thai counterpart to discuss substantive measures in promoting further cooperation on trade, investment, and new fields. The two leaders intend to sign a MOU for greater development of the strategic partnership between the two nations during the summit. 
 

The trade volume between Korea and Thailand reached a record high at USD 13.9 billion in 2011 and is expected to go up to 30 billion in the next five years. The two nations will also pledge for enhanced cooperation on energy, transportation, and infrastructure, as well as education and culture.

During his two-day stay in Thailand, The President will visit the Korean War Veterans Memorial to offer floral tributes and meet with veterans on November 9. Following the visit, The President will have a talk with Koreans residing in Thailand. The next day, the Korean leader is scheduled to attend a luncheon hosted by his Thai counterpart and perform on-site inspections of water management facilities.

By Lee Seung-ah
Korea.net Staff Writer