President Yoon Suk Yeol will embark on his first overseas trip of the new year as he heads to the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland from January 14 to the 21.
In a Tuesday press briefing, national security adviser Kim Sung-han announced the eight-day itinerary, beginning with a state visit to the UAE from Saturday to Tuesday at the invitation of President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The first state visit by a South Korean leader to the Arab nation since the two sides forged diplomatic ties in 1980 will include a summit with the UAE leader and a visit to the Korea-built Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant.
Multiple memoranda of understanding are also expected to be signed as an economic delegation comprising 100 companies, including heads of conglomerates, will accompany Yoon to the UAE.
He will then travel to Switzerland on Tuesday, where he will meet with South Korean residents in Zurich before traveling to Davos for the World Economic Forum as the first South Korean president to attend since Park Geun-hye in 2014.
On Wednesday, Yoon will meet with the CEOs of major global companies, while on Thursday, he will give a special speech proposing cross-border cooperation to fight the economic crisis.
He is also scheduled to attend an event promoting South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo as well as visit the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.
Source: KBS World Radio