By Gemma Q. Casas
Variety News Staff

GOVERNOR Benigno R. Fitial left yesterday morning for Seoul, South Korea to meet with business executives of Kumho Asiana Group, the parent company of Asiana Airlines, while Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez headed to Guam for the U.S. Navy’s change of command ceremony.
Villagomez said Senate President Joseph M. Mendiola, Covenant-Tinian, will be acting governor until the lt. governor returns from Guam later today.
Press Secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. said Villagomez will remain the acting governor until Fitial’s return from South Korea.
The governor was supposed to leave for Seoul as early as April 11 but pushed back the date for the change of command ceremony in Guam.
The new commander of the Naval Forces in the Marianas, Rear Adm. William D. French, will assume his post today.
He replaces Rear Adm. Charles Leidig Jr. who will be assigned to Naples, Italy.
The governor’s latest trip to Seoul comes in the wake of Northwest Airlines’ announcement it will downsize its aircraft starting Sept. 2007, which will further reduce number of Japan air seats for the CNMI.
But tourist arrivals from South Korea, the CNMI’s second major tourism market, continue to increase.