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SINGAPORE: Foreign Minister George Yeo will make his first official visit to North Korea from Saturday to next Wednesday at the invitation of his counterpart, Mr Pak Ui Chun. Mr Yeo will be accompanied by his wife and a business delegation from Singapore.
The business mission is organised by International Enterprise (IE) Singapore and supported by the Singapore Business Federation. It is led by IE Singapore's deputy chief executive Ted Tan.
The delegation comprises eight companies from the textile, infocomm technology, business services, infrastructure services and transport and logistics industries. There will also be two trade associations represented.
Total bilateral trade with North Korea reached S$83.7 million last year. Imports from the country amounted to S$1.6 million, while exports were S$82.1 million.
Top traded goods include tobacco-related products, refined petroleum products, paper articles, ship and aircraft stores, as well as fresh and dried crustaceans.
Singapore established diplomatic relations with North Korea in 1967. Singapore companies had begun venturing to the communist country since its economy started opening up in 2002. Notably, corporate law firm Kelvin Chia Partnership opened a Pyongyang branch in 2004.
In February this year, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong — while on a trip to South Korea — was in Gaesong in North Korea visiting an industrial complex that is run as a joint venture with South Korea.
During his visit, Mr Yeo will tour Gaesong City and Nampo Port as well.
After North Korea, Mr Yeo is headed to China from May 14 to 18, where his first stop will be Dandong County in Liaoning Province, to meet local leaders. Mr Yeo will then go to Beijing and meet Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and other senior Chinese leaders. - TODAY/ac
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