Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz left for South Korea on Wednesday for a three-day visit to strengthen political, economic and cultural ties, state-run Pakistan Television reported. Aziz is to hold talks with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan. Before leaving, Aziz told reporters that his visit to Seoul is aimed at projecting a softer image of Pakistan and attracting foreign investment. "South Korea is the 11th-biggest economy in the world and we want to enhance political and economic relations with it," he said. Earlier, a Foreign Ministry statement said Pakistan and South Korea "enjoy cordial relations based on mutual understanding and friendship." It said although they have enjoyed diplomatic relations for over two decades, "civilizational links date back more than 2000 years." Aziz will travel from South Korea to Malaysia on Oct. 1 for a three-day visit, it said.
