President Roh Moo-hyun will leave for Guatemala City on Saturday afternoon to drum up support for the Korean city Pyeongchang's bid to host the 2014 Winter Olympics.

He will attend an annual International Olympic Committee meeting in the Guatemalan capital to select the Olympic host city. At the meeting, Roh will give a speech asking for member countries' support for Pyeongchang's bid.

It will be his first overseas visit for the sole purpose of supporting a Korean bid for an international event.

Presidential spokesman Chun Ho-sun said that Mr. Roh will engage in a quiet campaign to drum up support, rather than mount a series of high-profile efforts.

Fierce sports diplomacy is expected in Guatemala, where Russian President Vladimir Putin and Austria's Prime Minister Alfred Gusenbauer will also come to support their countries' bids for the winter games.

Meanwhile, President Roh is scheduled to stop in Seattle early Sunday morning, Korean time, and meet with local Korean residents.