Senior defense officials of S. Korea, Saudi Arabia hold talks on bilateral cooperation

SEOUL, Oct. 18 (Yonhap) -- Senior defense officials of South Korea and Saudi Arabia held talks in Seoul on Monday to discuss bilateral cooperation in the arms industry, security and other areas, the defense ministry said.

Vice Defense Minister Park Jae-min and Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, the chief of the General Staff of Saudi Arabia's armed forces, held a session of the two countries' defense cooperation committee, as the latter was in Seoul to attend a defense exhibition set to open in Seongnam, just south of the capital, on Tuesday

The two sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in military training, high-level exchanges and the defense industry, the ministry said.

Park used the session to ask for Saudi Arabia's support for Seoul's efforts to foster lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. The Saudi official reaffirmed support for Seoul's peace efforts, the ministry said.

Park also expressed hope the two countries' cooperation in the defense industry will be expanded further in a "mutually beneficial" direction.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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