President Lee Jae Myung waves to well-wishers upon arriving at Seoul Airport in Seongnam on Monday after completing a tour of the United States, South America and Germany. [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung waves to well-wishers upon arriving at Seoul Airport in Seongnam on Monday after completing a tour of the United States, South America and Germany. [Yonhap]

President Lee Jae Myung will dispatch two lawmakers as special envoys to the inauguration of Abelardo de la Espriella as Colombia's new president — Yoon Jun-byeong of the Democratic Party of Korea and Lee Hae-min of the Rebuilding Korea Party.

Cheong Wa Dae chief spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing Tuesday that the government is sending the two lawmakers as President Lee's special envoys "to attend the inauguration of Colombia's new president on Thursday and to strengthen friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries on the occasion of the new government's launch." Yoon, who serves as vice chairman of the Korea-Colombia Parliamentary Friendship Association, will lead the delegation.

Kang said the envoys plan to brief the Colombian side on the South Korean government's governing philosophy and foreign policy, and to deliver a personal letter from President Lee along with his message on developing a strategic partnership with the new Colombian administration.

The delegation will also attend inauguration-related events, including a reception hosted by the incoming president, Kang said. Through these engagements, she added, the government intends to deepen economic cooperation built on the Korea-Colombia free trade agreement and to convey Seoul's commitment to expanding practical cooperation with the new Colombian government across areas including energy, infrastructure and education.


moone@heraldcorp.com