BEIJING  -- Yu Myung-hwan, the Republic of Korea (ROK)Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, stressed his country's full support for the Beijing Olympics and opposition to politicizing the Games.

"The ROK side will give full support for the successful holding of the Beijing Olympic Games, oppose the politicizing of the Games, and believes the Beijing Olympic Games will be an grand event of Asia and the world," Yu told Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi in their talks here on Friday.

The two agreed to further promote China and ROK relations for the peace and development of the region. They also exchanged views on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Yu criticized calls for boycotting the August Games by some Westerners and appealed to the world's elite athletes to attend the event during his visit to facilities for the Games before his meeting with Yang.

"I hope athletes from all over the world will attend the Beijing Olympic Games and enhance mutual understanding through sport.

"I believe sport should go beyond personal thoughts and social systems, and human kind should blend as one (in sport) ... we should seek common points while reserving differences."

He added the Beijing Games represented the harmony between the East and the West, and believed the scale and level of the Beijing Olympiad would exceed any previous Games. The ROK sincerely wished for the success of the Beijing Olympic Games.

Yu said ROK youth were very enthusiastic about coming to Beijing to watch the Games. He hoped many of them would come to enhance the mutual friendship.

During his tour, he also took in the exhibition center near the "Birds Nest" National Stadium in the north of the Chinese capital. The center showcases scale models of the Bird's Nest, the "Water Cube" National Aquatic Center and other Olympic venues.