Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui recently returned from a weeklong trip to South Korea to discuss economic cooperation and the governor’s newly launched Hawaii Sports Development Initiative.

As leader of the initiative, Tsutsui met with the president of the Korea Baseball Association to discuss the possibility of creating an amateur youth baseball exchange with the country as soon as next summer, his office said Sunday in a news release.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie last month announced the state’s push for more sporting events in the isles as a way to enliven sports entertainment here and boost the visitor industry. At the time, Abercrombie said Hawaii could be an ideal venue for yachting, rugby and soccer competitions and a good training location for international sports teams.

Tsutsui also met representatives from the Korea International Trade Association and Economic Council and other government officials and industry representatives to discuss how to maintain and foster economic relations between Hawaii and Korea.

"Hawaii and Korea have shared a long and positive relationship that’s rooted in friendship," he said in the release. "This year marks the 110th anniversary of Korean immigration to Hawaii and this trip enabled the state to strengthen our economic ties and ensure jobs for our residents through the continuation of import and export and growing our visitor industry between Hawaii and Korea."

Tsutsui was joined on the trip by Hawaii Tourism Authority officials to meet with officials from Korean Air, Asiana and Hana Tour International to discuss ways to increase South Korean visitors to Hawaii, his office said. He also met with the mayor of Incheon, Song Young Gil, to express appreciation for the city’s commitment to help finance construction of the Mitchuhol Museum & International Center in Honolulu.