hankyoreh

South Korea is ready to open free trade agreement (FTA) talks with the European Union (EU) in May, President Roh Moo-hyun said Wednesday after his summit with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.

"I and Prime Minister Prodi shared common understanding of enormous economic effects of a South Korea-EU FTA and agreed on the need to launch bilateral FTA talks as soon as possible," said Roh in a joint press conference held after the summit.

"South Korea concluded the FTA with the U.S. despite fierce opposition by many South Koreans. But South Korea's FTA talks with the EU may not run into any significant resistance. We're ready to open talks with the EU in May," said the president.

Roh said he and the Italian prime minister agreed to deepen bilateral relations in the fields of marine logistics, industrial technology, information technology and science. In particular, said the president, the two leaders held serious discussions about widening two-way cooperation in marine logistics.

Prodi said at the news conference that Italy will positively consider offering humanitarian assistance to North Korea.

Prodi arrived here on Tuesday for a three-day visit, becoming the first Italian prime minister to visit South Korea since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1956.

The two leaders met in Rome in the middle of February and agreed to boost bilateral cooperation in the fields of information technology, marine transportation, logistics, trade and science.

At the February summit, Roh called on Italy to lead the European effort to open and reform North Korea, as well as promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Seoul, April 18 (Yonhap News)