President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan will make a state visit to South Korea on Aug. 16~17 for summit talks with President Moon Jae-in, Cheong Wa Dae announced on Aug. 12.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will be the first foreign leader to visit Korea since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Kazakh president is scheduled to arrive in Seoul on Aug. 16 and have a summit with Moon on Aug. 17 on promoting bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The two leaders are expected to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields, such as transportation, infrastructure, construction, ICT, health care, and the environment, a Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson said.
They are also likely to seek ways to promote cultural and personal exchanges and bolster partnerships on regional and global issues as the two nations mark the 30th anniversary in 2022 of establishing diplomatic ties.
In a separate move, the remains of Hong Beom-do, a well-known Korean independence fighter during Japan's colonial rule from 1910-45, will be repatriated from Kazakhstan in connection with the Kazakh president’s official visit.
Hong, who had served as general commander of the Korean independence army, died in Kazakhstan in 1943. Hong is famous for the victory of his independence troops in the Battle of “Bongodong” against Japanese forces in Manchuria, China, in 1920.
Following an official mourning period, the remains will be buried at Daejeon National Cemetery in Daejeon, about 160 kilometers south of Seoul, on Aug. 18.
