South Korean President Kim Dae Jung said Saturday he plans to visit Japan around May in an effort to strengthen bilateral economic and cooperative ties.
Kim made the statement in a speech given shortly after arriving at a Seoul airport following a 10-day tour of four European states aimed at strengthening Seoul's economic ties with the European Union.
Kim indicated the aim of his visit to Japan will be to attract investment, saying, "This time, I would like to go to Japan for the purpose of promoting sales."
During the European tour, Kim visited Italy, the Vatican, France and Germany, before returning to South Korea.
While in Japan, President Kim is expected to share views on a wide range of mutual and international issues with Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi ahead of the Group of Eight summit, to be held in Okinawa Prefecture in July.
President Kim made a state visit to Japan in October 1998 after assuming the presidency in February the same year.