Latin American officials visit Seoul

Economic policymakers from four Latin American countries are visiting Seoul to enhance cooperation with Korea and study the country’s experience in rapid development, officials said Sunday.

The delegation includes Sergio De La Torre Gimeno, Guatemala’s economic minister; Juan Carlos Paiz Venezuela, Guatemala’s presidential commissioner for competitiveness; Robert Gabriel Frugoni Vega, Uruguay’s director of the Planning and Budget Office; Maria Dolores Almeida, Ecuador’s vice finance minister; and Francisco Sesto Novas, Venezuela’s urban development minister.

They arrived here in Seoul at the invitation of the Foreign Ministry and the state-run Korea Foundation.

During a weeklong trip, the officials plan to attend development seminars in Seoul and tour state-run infrastructure companies and think tanks, as well as a science research complex in Daejeon.

They will also meet with Finance Minister Bahk Jae-wan and Education, Science and Technology Minister Lee Ju-ho, the Korea Foundation said in a statement.

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)