A joint meeting on energy will be one of the key elements of a visit to Regina by the ambassador of the Republic of Korea in June.

Ambassador Cho Heeyong will meet with provincial cabinet ministers or senior civil servants in the field of energy and agriculture.

Set for June 6, the energy forum will discuss energy and mining and "partnerships" in these fields with Asian businesses and will include sessions on investment policy and the federal government perspective, according to a draft agenda released by the embassy. Speakers will include provincial cabinet ministers and officials, plus Korean executives and an assistant deputy minister from the federal government's natural resources ministry and a Korean academic at the University of Calgary.

Ambassador Cho will also meet with officials in equivalent positions in Calgary and Edmonton.

"The forum's theme, In Search of New Business Opportunities in the Energy Sector between Korea and Saskatchewan, will serve as a vehicle for collaboration and dialogue, allowing participants to gain new insights on energy and mining, as well as to forge new and expanded trans-pacific ventures in energy trade and investment," says a news release from the republic's embassy in Ottawa.

The ambassador's visit will include a series of social events to encourage cultural engagement between Canadians and Koreans, including Korean Movie Nights in all three cities. These are intended to give audiences a chance to learn more about "the rich history and cultural traditions of Korean-Canadians, and celebrate their lasting contributions to Canada's growth and national character".

There's another reason for the ambassador's trip: marking the 60 years since the armistice that ended the Korean War of 1950-53.

The ambassador will also attend wreath-laying and "Ambassador for Peace" medal ceremonies in Regina, Edmonton, and Calgary, intended to salute Canadian veterans for their service in that conflict.

He will also meet Korean-Canadian immigrant communities in Saskatchewan to discuss what they can do to develop links between the two countries.

As well, Cho will meet the honourary consul general of the Republic of Korea in Saskatchewan, Dr. Vianne Timmons, president of the University of Regina.

Statistics Canada's recent National Household Survey said 1,270 Saskatchewanians had Korean ancestry as of 2011, when the survey was done.

Saskatchewan's ministry of the economy says the province had $168.2 million in exports to South Korea last year. To boost that, the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership has organized several trade mission to that country and Japan in recent years, including one several months ago.