The South Korean government said 40 leaders will attend the upcoming Seoul Nuclear Security Summit on March 26-27, with 53 countries and four international organizations participating in the event.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which is organizing the largest-ever diplomatic event for Korea, said the 40 leaders will include U.S. President Barack Obama, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Eighteen countries or organizations will send their vice presidents, deputy prime ministers, foreign ministers or other senior officials.

Obama will stay for three days and Hu, four days, the Foreign Ministry said.

Included in the leaders are five woman heads-of-state from Denmark, Lithuania, Belgium, Australia and Thailand.

Out of the 40 leaders, 12 from Nigeria, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Brazil, Spain, Armenia, Ukraine, Georgia, Chile, Thailand and Pakistan will be on their first visit to South Korea.

Along with the leaders, 17 spouses will come to Seoul and attend the programs created for them alongside the summit.

After the summit wraps up on the afternoon of March 27, Korean President Lee Myung-bak and first lady Kim Yoon-ok will invite 39 leaders and their spouses for a special dinner and cultural performances that evening.

During the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit, the second of its kind since Obama inaugurated the summit in 2010 in Washington, world leaders will discuss how to prevent nuclear terrorism and promote nuclear safety.


By Kim Yoon-mi
(yoonmi@heraldcorp.com)