Korean foreign minister concludes visit to Egypt

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met on Tuesday with South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Hong Sun-yong who is visiting Egypt.

Following the meeting, the Korean minister described his country's relations with Egypt as "very good."

The minister said he conveyed the congratulations of South Korean President Kim Dae-jung to President Mubarak, adding, "I have informed President Mubarak that the Egyptian foreign minister and I agreed on holding more continuous consultations regarding the economical and commercial relations between the two countries."

He added that his talks with President Mubarak dealt with the question of the two Koreas. The South Korean minister expressed his country's desire to coexist peacefully with the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (North Korea) and to maintain economic and political cooperation with it.

To this end, President Mubarak expressed the desire to help bring viewpoints closer and his readiness to mediate between the two sides.

The Korean minister voiced backing for the call advocated by President Mubarak to eliminate the weapons of mass-destruction, especially nuclear weapons, from the Middle East.