Doha, Qatar: President of the Republic of Korea, H E Yoon Suk Yeol stressed that South Korea and Qatar should further build upon what they have achieved over the last five decades to usher in an even brighter future.
In an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), Yoon said: “It holds much significance to be the first Korean President to make a state visit to Qatar. I hope this visit will serve as an invaluable opportunity to elevate our bilateral relations to a new level.”
The President added that he will have in-depth discussions with Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on how to shape the two countries' relations for the next 50 years.
He said South Korea and Qatar will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations next year. “Over the past half century, our two countries have continued to work together, contributing to each other's advancement and prosperity in an exemplary manner, especially in the energy and construction sectors.”
As Korea’s second largest supplier of LNG, Qatar has provided a reliable buttress that has helped South Korea maintain its energy security.
He said over the past 50 years, South Korea has participated in approximately 130 construction projects in Qatar. Most notably, Korean companies took part in the building of the National Museum of Qatar, Lusail Plaza Towers and other landmarks which now serve as symbols of the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, he noted.
“For this reason, the Korean government intends to expand the scope of our cooperation, moving beyond the fields of energy and construction to encompass investment, defence industry, agriculture, culture and people-to-people exchanges.
“We will also push for cooperation programmes which will bring more tangible benefits for the peoples of both countries. To this end, we will nurture an even broader range of channels for strategic communication.”
The President said Qatar is strengthening its role and contribution to promote regional peace, and Korea is broadening its diplomatic horizons, aiming to emerge as a “global pivotal state,” looking forward to the two countries working together even more closely in regional and international arenas to achieve these goals.
“Through this visit, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of Qatar’s efforts towards national development as well as an opportunity to explore ways in which Korea can contribute and cooperate in that development process.” He expressed his belief that South Korea and Qatar need to lay out a long-term goal for the development of their bilateral relations and find strategic ways to collaborate in pursuit of their shared objectives. With regard to the economy, he hoped to strengthen cooperation in various areas including energy, infrastructure, trade, investment, defence industry, and agriculture, pointing out that a contingent of Korean business leaders will travel with him on this trip, which will be an opportunity for them to meet with their Qatari counterparts to discuss and map out joint business opportunities.
The President said he will discuss ways to strengthen the bilateral collaboration on the international stage during his visit to Qatar.
On economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, the President said that trade between the two countries, which was less than a mere $4m in 1974 when diplomatic relations were established, increased to $17.1bn last year even during the global economic downturn in the midst of COVID-19.
He added: “Qatar has stably supplied Korea with energy sources such as gas and crude oil, and Korea has contributed to the building of a cycle power plant integrated with a desalination system and other parts of Qatar’s industrial base. Consequently, our two countries have grown into trusted partners in fostering each other’s economic growth and industrial development.”
“During my state visit, I will be accompanied by a delegation of leaders from around 60 Korean businesses which specialise in various emerging industries such as digital technology, biohealth, smart farming and cultural content.”
