By Shim Jae-yun
Staff Reporter


President Roh Moo-hyun will make a state visit to the United Kingdom in early December as head of state of South Korea at the invitation of British Queen Elizabeth II for the first time, Chong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Jong-min said Thursday.

Roh’s visit will be a reciprocal one following the queen’s state visit to the nation in April, 1999.

While in Britain, Roh and first lady Kwon Yang-suk will stay at the Buckingham Palace. Roh will have a summit meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair to discuss issues of mutual interest including the standoff over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

``Itineraries and other details of Roh’s visit will be determined through further consultation among officials from the two governments,’’ Kim said during a press briefing.

Britain is strictly limiting the state visits to two occasions per year with Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski becoming the state guest for the first half of the year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin made a similar visit to the nation in June and U.S. President George W. Bush in November last year.

The Korean and British governments simultaneously announced Roh’s visit in accordance with the principle of publicizing it four months beforehand.

The British royal couple visited the nation at the then President Kim Dae-jung’s invitation, dropping in at a folk village in Andong, North Kyongsang Province and other destinations.

President Roh is also considering visiting other European nations on the occasion of the state visit, a Chong Wa Dae official said.