Peres in South Korea to 'boost diplomatic, economic ties'
Dozens greet president, leading Israeli businessmen with Israeli flags. 'Reception heart-warming in light of recent days' events,' Peres says
President Shimon Peres began an official visit to South Korea on Tuesday as part of Israel's damage control efforts in the aftermath of last week's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla and its continued activity to increase international pressure on Iran.
The visit will focus on boosting economic ties between Seoul and Jerusalem as well as on the efforts to impose fresh UN sanctions against Tehran aimed at curbing its nuclear program.
Peres was greeted with a traditional military ceremony, and dozens of people waved flags at the airport and along the roads leading to the president's hotel in the capital.
Warm welcome in South Korea (Photo: Moshe Milner, GPO)
On Thursday Peres is expected to meet with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and other senior officials.
"The reception by the government and the Korean people is heart-warming and moving, particularly in light of the recent days' events," Peres said shortly after landing in South Korea. "The Israeli delegation and I have come here to broaden and deepen the strategic, diplomatic, economic and security-related cooperation between the two countries."
The president is accompanied by Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Communications Minister Moshe Kahlon and more than 60 Israeli businessmen representing the country's leading companies in the communication, security, infrastructure and hi-tech fields.
On Wednesday Peres will tour major South Korean industrial zones and research and development centers, where he will meet heads of local space technology companies.
