The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia and current President of the European Council, Janez Janša, sent congratulations on behalf of the Presidency of the EU to the newly elected President of South Korea, Lee Myung-bak, on the occasion of his inauguration on 25 February 2008. In his letter to Mr Lee, Mr Janša expressed the European Union’s hope to further strengthen bilateral political and economic relations with South Korea, in particular by concluding a Free Trade Agreement in the near future and by successful preparations for the South Korea-EU summit next October. The EU and its Member States also have a strong interest in stepping up political dialogue with South Korea on regional and global issues.