UAE-South Korea ties get a boost with premier's visit

Abu Dhabi: South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo who is on a three-day official visit to the UAE, met senior officials yesterday, the South Korean Embassy officials told Gulf News.

The prime minister will then leave for Paris later on Monday.

Mohammad Bin Dha'en Al Hameli, the UAE Minister of Energy, also had a courtesy call with the prime minister in the evening, Kyu Nam Chae, the commercial attaché at the embassy said.

The prime minister attended a lunch meeting yesterday in Abu Dhabi, hosted in his honour by Nasser Ahmad Al Suwaidi, Chairman of the Department of Economic Development of Abu Dhabi Government.

Al Hameli reaffirmed that the UAE would continue to implement projects for increasing oil and gas capacity and utilising investments required in this field.

He referred to the role played by Korean companies in developing petroleum industries in the UAE.

The heads of major financial organisations and investment arms of the government attended the meeting, Chae said.

The premier had a dinner meeting with the Korean Community in the UAE at Intercontinental Hotel in Abu Dhabi yesterday in the evening.

He was accompanied by Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, Abdullah Al Maainah, the UAE Ambassador to South Korea and South Korean Ambassador to the UAE Chung Yong-chil, in addition to other officials from both countries.

Shaikha Shamsa Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, wife of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Western Region, received Soja Hong, the wife of the South Korean prime minister.

The premier's wife said she was impressed with the progress attained by the UAE, especially in the development of women.