Russian Foreign Minister meets with South Korean opposition

On Saturday Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, currently on an official visit to Seoul, met with Park Kwan-yong, the speaker of the South Korea's National Assembly, and the leaders of the South Korean opposition, for instance, with the leader of the Grand National Party, Lee Hoi-Chang, who is considered the main presidential nominee. The presidential elections in the Republic of Korea are scheduled for December 2002.

Igor Ivanov pointed to Russia's interest in the development of "strategic partnership with the Republic of Korea," which should not undergo any "conjuncture variations".

The Russian minister also pointed to the importance of the Russian and South Korean Presidents' policy, which enjoys wide support of political forces in both countries.