President Kim Visits Europe for 11 Days from Dec. 2.

President Kim Dae-Jung and first lady Lee Hui-Ho will visit the United Kingdom, Norway, Hungary, and the European Parliament from Dec. 2 to 12.

President Kim will make a speech at the general session of the European Parliament for the first time as a national leader from Asia while he is visiting the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

Lee Gi-Ho, economic senior secretary to the President, anticipated that "by the Presidential diplomacy of the President Kim, Korea will benefit over 10 billion dollars including 3.5 billion dollars of foreigners` investment, 5.0 billion dollars for plant and construction exports and shipbuilding, and economic cooperation and export in IT business valued at 1.5 billion dollars."

The major itinerary: Dec. 2nd – 5th = Meeting with Queen Elizabeth II, Summit talk with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Receiving an honorary doctor from Cambridge University. Dec. 5th – 7th = Summit talk with Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, Participation in the symposium to celebrate the 100 anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize. Dec. 7th – 10th = Summit talk with Hungarian President Ferenc Madl, Participation in the Opening ceremony of the Korean Expo in Hungary. Dec. 11th – 12th = Speech at the European Parliament, Meetings with Nicole Fontaine, the President of the Parliament, and Roman Purdy, the Executive Chairperson of EU.

ysmo@donga.com