Qatar and the Republic of Korea have come a long way since the establishment of their diplomatic relations almost half a century ago. The visit by South Korean President
H E Yoon Suk Yeol will take the ties to broader horizons. Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the South Korean President held an official talks session yesterday, where they reviewed bilateral relations and deliberated ways to deepen cooperation in all fields, especially in energy, investment and culture, in addition to discussing the most prominent regional and international developments of common interest.
The two sides also signed memorandums of understanding to promote cooperation in areas of national geospatial information, smart construction, building technology, infrastructure and building development, smart agriculture small and medium-sized enterprises and startups and establishing a framework for promoting trade and investment. H H the Amir said these agreements would contribute to increasing economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the two nations.
The bilateral partnership is underpinned by a strong trade and energy partnership between the two countries. Qatar is the main LNG supplier for South Korea, while South Korean construction companies have contributed to the implementation of infrastructure projects in Qatar in recent years. Over the past 50 years, South Korea has participated in approximately 130 construction projects in Qatar, President Yoon said. Most notably, South 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 friendship and cooperation between the two countries. The President said 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. Last month, QatarEnergy signed a QAR14.2bn agreement with Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries for construction of 17 new LNG carriers.
Qatar and South Korea have also signed an agreement for mutual exemption from entry visa requirements for citizens of the two countries. The agreement allows visa-free travel and stay for up to 90 days. President Yoon said this agreement will promote people-to-people contacts and that Korean people’s increased understanding of Islamic culture and history will help further promote friendship between the two countries. Qatar will also host the 19th session of the Korea-Middle East Cooperation Forum on November 6, bringing together prominent figures from the public and private sectors from the Middle East and the Republic of Korea. This forum, being held in Doha for the first time, will further boost ties between South Korea and the Middle East region.
