Bulgarian State Delegation Starts South Korea Visit

Diplomacy | October 25, 2009, Sunday

Georgi Parvanov will become the first Bulgarian head of state to visit Australia. Photo by BNGES

An official Bulgarian delegation led by President Georgi Parvanov has arrived Sunday on a three-day state visit in South Korea.

Parvanov’s official meeting with the South Korean President Lee Myung-bak is scheduled for later on Sunday.

Bulgaria and the Republic of Korea are signing agreements in culture, education, social security, and classified information. The program of the Bulgarian delegation also includes several business events.

President Parvanov is also accompanied by Economy Minister Traikov, Culture Minister Rashidov, Labor Minister Mladenov, Deputy Foreign Minister Raykov, Deputy Economy Minister Angelov, head of the InvestBulgaria Agency Stoyan Stalev, Chair of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tsvetan Simeonov.

Bulgaria and South Korea established diplomatic relations in 1990. In 2008, the bilateral trade amounted to USD 156,8 M, of which Bulgaria’s export to Korea was USD 47 M.

In 1996-2008, South Korean companies invested USD 81 M in Bulgaria. Those include Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hyundai Motor Company, which opened the largest distribution and sales center of Hyundai in the EU in Bulgaria in 2008.

After South Korea, the Bulgarian delegation is heading for a three-day visit to Australia, which will make President Parvanov the first Bulgarian head of state to visit Australia.