Yoon begins state visit to Qatar, drops by horticultural expo

Diplomacy

Published: 25 Oct. 2023, 00:51 Updated: 25 Oct. 2023, 09:50

Yoon begins state visit to Qatar, drops by horticultural expo

President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, waters a tree gifted by the Qatari emir as he attends the opening ceremony of the Korean pavilion at the 2023 International Horticultural Exposition in Doha Tuesday after arriving in Qatar for a state visit. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived in Qatar, the second leg of his two-country trip to the Middle East, for a two-day state visit Tuesday expected to focus on strengthening economic cooperation and elevating bilateral ties.

Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee landed at Hamad International Airport near Doha on the presidential jet after wrapping up a four-day state visit to Saudi Arabia. They were greeted by Qatari officials and an honor guard.

Yoon is scheduled to hold a bilateral summit and a state luncheon in Doha with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Wednesday.

The two sides are expected to expand cooperation beyond energy and construction to fields including investment, defense, agriculture, culture and people-to-people exchanges, according to the presidential office.

Yoon is the first Korean president to make a state visit to Qatar.

He was accompanied by a 59-member business delegation, including those who specialize in emerging industries such as digital technology, biohealth, smart farming and cultural content.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and first lady Kim Keon Hee, center, are greeted by Qatari officials and an honor guard as they arrive at Hamad International Airport near Doha on the presidential jet Tuesday for a two-day state visit. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

After arriving in Doha, Yoon attended the opening of the Korean pavilion at the 2023 International Horticultural Exposition later Tuesday, said the presidential office. Some 80 countries are taking part in the horticultural expo, and the Korean pavilion showcased an outdoor garden with a smart farming exhibition hall.

During the trip, he will also attend a Korea-Qatar business forum with some 300 business leaders from both countries.

The two countries will mark the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations next year.

"It holds much significance to be the first Korean president to make a state visit to Qatar," Yoon told Qatar News Agency (QNA) in an interview published Tuesday. "I hope this visit will serve as an invaluable opportunity to elevate our bilateral relations to a new level."

He noted that over the past 50 years, Korea has participated in some 130 construction projects in Qatar, including the building of the National Museum of Qatar and Lusail Plaza Towers.

Yoon said that the Korean government intends to expand the scope of cooperation with Qatar, "moving beyond the fields of energy and construction to encompass investment, the defense industry, agriculture, culture and people-to-people exchanges."

He said he hopes to "nurture an even broader range of channels for strategic communication."

Yoon expressed support for Qatar's "National Vision 2030," saying he hopes for "an opportunity to explore ways in which Korea can contribute and cooperate in that development process."

Yoon told QNA that Qatar has stably supplied Korea with energy sources such as gas and crude oil, while Korea, in turn, has contributed to the building of a cycle power plant.

With such exchanges, he stressed the two countries have "grown into trusted partners in fostering each other's economic growth and industrial development."

Trade between the two countries increased from $4 million in 1974, when diplomatic relations were established, to $17.1 billion last year.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, right, gives Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol a ride to the Future Investment Initiative forum in Riyadh Tuesday. The two leaders had a brief impromptu meeting at the guest house before heading to the forum on the last day of Yoon’s state visit. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made a surprise visit to Yoon's guest house at around noon Tuesday, as the Korean leader wrapped up his visit to Riyadh, the presidential office said.

The two sides talked for around 23 minutes, following up on their bilateral summit on Sunday.

The crown prince then gave Yoon a ride to an investment forum around 15 minutes away from the guest house and expressed hopes to ride together in a Hyundai electric vehicle (EV) manufactured in Saudi Arabia next time the Korean president visits, according to Lee Do-woon, the presidential spokesman.

As his last schedule in Saudi Arabia before departing for Qatar, Yoon spoke at the Future Investment Initiative forum in Riyadh, or "Davos in the Desert.”

In his speech, Yoon said, “Korea is an innovative and trustworthy partner with whom you can work together with for the future.”

The Saudi crown prince stayed through Yoon’s speech after driving him to the event.

Yoon will wrap up his six-day Middle East tour and return to Korea on Thursday.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]