Korea looks at Timor aid

SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- East Timorese President Xanana Gusmao has ended his first overseas trip as head of state buoyed by the hope of assistance from South Korea for the reconstruction of the world's newest nation.

IN-DEPTH East Timor: Birth of a Nation    RESOURCES Photo gallery: Voices of Timor    PROFILES • Xanana Gusmao  • Jose Ramos-Horta  • Bishop Belo    CNN NewsPass VIDEO • East Timor video archive    EAST TIMOR • Timeline: Road to nationhood  • Country profile

Gusmao jetted out of Seoul late Saturday with his Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta following a promising meeting with South Korean President Kim Dae-jung which wound up his two day visit.

"Korean firms take much interest in East Timor's construction of infrastructure and their natural gas and oil exploration project," a presidential spokesman quoted Kim as saying.

The South Korean leader advised Gusmao to open up Timor to foreign as well as domestic businesses in order to encourage investment in the war-ravaged Southeast Asian nation.

Gusmao told Kim his number one priority was in the creation of jobs by attracting foreign investment in East Timor, spokesman Kim Sung-jin said.

The former East Timor independence fighter joined other dignitaries including Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in attending the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Seoul on Friday.

East Timor declared independence from Indonesia on May 20, which forcibly annexed the tiny nation in 1975.

Gusmao came to power after winning a landslide victory in the country's presidential elections in April.