SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s protection minister Shin Won-sik departs on Thursday for a seven-day journey to the Middle East to carry ministerial talks and attend an arms exhibition in Saudi Arabia, the ministry mentioned.
During his journey, Shin will maintain talks together with his counterpart, Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Mazrouei, within the United Arab Emirates and meet South Korean troops from a particular warfare contingent referred to as the Akh Unit deployed there since 2011.
He can even journey to Saudi Arabia on Saturday for the World Defense Show in Riyadh earlier than heading to Qatar to fulfill Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, the nation’s protection minister.
South Korea has emerged in recent times as one of many world’s largest arms exporters with gross sales leaping to $17 billion in 2022 from $7.25 billion the 12 months earlier than, knowledge from the protection ministry confirmed.
The nation’s arms exports to the Middle East grew practically tenfold between 2013 and 2022, in keeping with the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.