President Lee Myung-bak has arrived at the first stop of his tour of three African nations. The South Korean president arrived in South Africa’s biggest port city Durban early Sunday morning Korean time.

The president will help support South Korea’s bid to host the 2018 winter Olympics, since the successful bidder will be decided at the International Olympic Committee General Assembly in Durban.

Lee will give a final presentation on Wednesday to make a final appeal for support from the IOC members.

The South Korean president will then hold a summit with South African president Jacob Zuma to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral collaboration in areas such as trade promotion and development.

Lee will make a state visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday to seek ways to cooperate on developing energy resources and building infrastructure there.

On Friday, the South Korean president will make his last stop in Ethiopia and hold a summit with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. They will exchange views on green growth and agricultural cooperation.