Korea, Saudi Arabia Agree On Closer Defense Cooperation

Korean Information Service, Saudi Arabia is considering dispatching a defense attache to its embassy in Seoul to help promote bilateral military ties, Korea’s Defense Ministry said Monday (Oct. 10). 
 
The two sides also agreed to seek closer cooperation in the defense industry, the ministry added in a press release summarizing the results of the weekend talks between Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo and his Saudi counterpart Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz. 
 
Kim is in Saudi Arabia for the first talks between Korea and the Middle East nation at the defense minister level in seven years. 
 
“The ministers shared an understanding on the need for promoting cooperation and exchanges between the militaries of the two nations. To that end, Saudi Arabia said it would push for the establishment of a diplomatic mission to handle defense affairs in Korea,” said Lt. Col. Kim Gwang-woo, an official at the ministry’s international policy team. 
 
The Korean minister also asked for closer cooperation in the defense industry so that Korea can play a role in Saudi Arabia’s push for modernizing its military. 
 
“Crown Prince Sultan expressed interest and understanding in the proposal,” Kim said. 
 
Korea hopes to export Cheonma missiles with a range of 10 kilometers to Saudi Arabia, which is said to be planning to purchase about 400 surface-to-air missiles, according to industry sources. 
 
The winner of the contract will likely be decided at the end of this month, the sources said. 
 
Meanwhile, the Korean defense chief will fly to Paris on Tuesday (Dec. 11) to meet with his French counterpart, who took office with the launch of the Sarkozy administration, to discuss how to cooperate in international peacekeeping activities and other pending issues. 
 
Kim will be awarded a French government medal in recognition of his contribution to the defense ties of the two nations.