President Lee Myung-bak will embark on an eight-day trip next Friday to Russia, Greenland, Norway and Kazakhstan, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday.

Lee will first attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting to be held in Vladivostok, Russia, from Sept. 8-9. Under the theme of “Integrate to grow, Innovation to prosper,” participating leaders will discuss a wide range of regional and global issues, Lee’s office said.

Lee will visit Greenland on the invitation of Denmark’s Prime Minister Thorning-Schmidt and Prime Minister of Greenland Kuupik Kleist from Sept. 9-10. They are to discuss bilateral cooperation on green growth, resource development and other issues.

From Sept. 10-12, Lee will visit Norway on the invitation of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. They will hold summit talks to help enhance cooperation in economy, trade, renewable energy, resource development, green growth and other sectors.

The last leg of his trip is Kazakhstan, on President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s invitation. The leaders will hold the summit meeting on Sept. 13 to discuss ways to further enhance the relationship, which marks the 20th anniversary this year, on cooperation in energy, power plant construction and others.

(sshluck@heraldcorp.com)