South Korean President Lee Myung-bak paid tribute to Colombian troops killed in the 1950-53 Korean War and met with their family members and veterans Saturday as he began a state visit to the wartime ally.

The trip was the first state visit to the country by a South Korean leader.

Flanked by Colombia's defense minister, a solemn-faced Lee marked a moment of silence then offered a wreath at a Korean War memorial in Bogota as a military brass band played somber music. As the national anthems of the two countries were played, Lee stared at the bronze plate where the names of the war dead are inscribed.

Lee then shook hands with each of the bereaved family members and surviving veterans who attended the ceremony and accepted their requests to have pictures taken with him. Lee wrote a message in the guestbook that read, "We will remember you forever and will never forget you. All of us are grateful."

The visit to the war memorial was the first event Lee attended upon arrival in Bogota earlier in the day. The trip also completes Lee's round of visits to all 16 nations that sent combat troops during the war.

Lee is scheduled to hold a meeting with veterans and family members later Saturday, where he is expected to renew Seoul's commitment to continue to seek a series of support initiatives for veterans and their descendants, such as scholarship and medical rehabilitation programs.

Colombia was the only nation from Central and South America to fight alongside South Korea against Chinese-backed North Korean forces. About 5,300 troops were dispatched halfway around the world to help fight the North's invasion, of which 213 were killed and 567 wounded. 

A total of 730 veterans are believed to still be alive.

Colombian forces -- a battalion-size contingent with a 2,000-ton frigate -- are known for two fierce battles. In one of them, known as the "Operacion Nomada," they captured three high grounds held by Chinese troops in what is now North Korea on Oct. 13, 1951.

In the other battle, dubbed the "Old Baldy," the Colombian contingent fought off a surprise attack by Chinese forces near what is now the inter-Korean border on March 23, 1953. Colombia lost 95 soldiers, with 30 others listed as missing and 97 wounded, while 369 Chinese troops were killed.

Another focus of Lee's three-day trip to Colombia is a free trade agreement.

South Korea and Colombia are in the final stages of free trade talks and Lee's trip is expected to provide the negotiations with important momentum, officials have said. That raised speculation the trade talks could be concluded during Lee's trip.

The trade talks are expected to be a key topic for Lee's summit talks Monday with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, along with deepening all-round cooperation, especially in areas such as trade and investment, infrastructure construction and resources development, science and technology.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

(Yonhap News)