1st Vice Minister Shin Kak-soo made a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of South Africa, the Republic of Ghana, and the Republic of Kenya on January 6-15.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, he met with President Kabila, the Reconstruction Minister and the 1st Vice Foreign Minister to discuss ways for Korea’s participation in Congo’s resources development and national infrastructure construction, development cooperation and high-level officials’ exchange between the two countries.

In the Republic of South Africa, the Vice Minister held meetings with the Deputy Ministers of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and of the Department of Economic Development and a ranking Energy Department official to seek ways to share development experience and cooperate in energy and nuclear-power generation and with regard to the G20 Summit and the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

In Ghana, Vice Minister Shin met with Vice President Mahama, the Foreign Minister and the Deputy Energy Minister to seek ways for the promotion of development cooperation and for Korean businesses to take a greater part in resources development and infrastructure construction. In Kenya, a meeting was held between the two Vice Foreign Ministers for a discussion on development cooperation and on ways that Korea and Kenya can bolster their economic and trade relations.

In the gathering of Korean business-people he hosted in each of the four countries, the 1st Vice Minister heard about difficulties in their operations and exchanged views on how Korea-Africa economic and trade relations can be further expanded.