SEOUL: Seoul National University (SNU) student Yoo Eun-Seon had never imagined she could have a face-to-face meeting with someone like Premier Wen Jiabao. As if that was not enough, yesterday she got a chance to even shake hands with him, whom she described as a "gentle and cordial elderly man".

A graduate in China studies of SNU's School of the International Relations, Yoo said she got a chance to meet the Chinese premier because of a youth exchange program between China and the Republic of Korea (ROK).

The program is one of the many between the two countries in the China-ROK Exchange Year that officially opened yesterday.

Yoo was among 300-odd Chinese and ROK youths who met with Wen at Gyeongbok-gung Palace, which was built in 1394.

Wen, accompanied by his ROK counterpart Han Duck-soo, reached the palace at 3:25 pm, and was greeted by warm cheers from the young people.

The premier said: "I feel great pleasure to be here, in the historic palace, with you young people. I can feel a sense of vibrancy that energetic youth have."

Among the young people were 200 Chinese, all brilliant in their fields. They have been invited to visit the ROK as part of an exchange program. Most of the ROK youths in the exchange program work or live in China.

The youth are the future of a country, Wen said. "In China-ROK relations, I believe politics is the basis, economy constitutes the link, culture serves as a bridge and the exchanges between the youth makes for a bright future," he said.

The premier hoped young people from the two countries would join hands to pass the cross-border friendship from one generation to another.

According to an agreement signed between the Chinese and ROK governments in 2004, Seoul will invite 500 Chinese youths every year to the country.

(China Daily 04/11/2007 page2)