Sweden next visit for South Korea's Lee

ROME, July 11 (UPI) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak will visit Sweden after concluding his visit to Italy Saturday, a South Korean official said.

Cheong Wa Dae of the presidential office in Seoul told Yonhap News Agency Lee will meet with Swedish King Carl Gustaf during his visit and hold talks with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.

"We expect President Lee's visit to Sweden to be an opportunity to further strengthen the cooperative relationship between South Korea and the European Union, as well as their efforts to conclude the Korea-EU FTA," he said, referring to the European Union-Korea Free Trade Agreement.

"President Lee will also seek to increase the country's cooperation with Sweden in areas where Sweden has competitiveness, such as the renewable energy, green technology and nuclear energy sectors."

Yonhap said Lee began his three-country tour with a stop in Poland.