By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter


Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan Monday began a 12-day tour of five Middle East countries, focusing on the promotion of economic cooperation in the fields of energy, construction, and information technology with the oil-rich nations.

After visiting the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Lee will fly to Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman until Nov. 30, his aides said.

``We expect the visits will help secure a stable route for importing crude oil and other natural resources as well as facilitate a leap toward cooperative relations between South Korea and Middle East countries in the information-technology industry,’’ said an official at the Office of the Prime Minister.

During his stay in the UAE, Lee will make a courtesy call on President HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and meet with Sheikh Hamadan bin Zayed an-Nahyan, deputy prime minister and foreign minister, to discuss ways of boosting bilateral economic cooperation, they said.

Lee also plans to visit the Dubai Air Show, a biennial international aerospace exhibition which opened on Sunday, and sign an agreement on aerospace cooperation between the two countries.

South Korea’s supersonic trainer jet T-50, dubbed ``Golden Eagle,’’ is on display at the Dubai show.

Lee will visit Kuwait on Nov. 25-26. He is scheduled to meet with Kuwaiti Prime Minister Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah to discuss issues of mutual concern.

While in Kuwait, the South Korean premier will also visit Minta Al Ahmadi where an oil refinery is being built by South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries.

State-owned Kuwait Oil Company has signed its largest-ever crude export facilities contract with Hyundai. Under the contract, Hyundai plans to construct an oil terminal in the area to boost Kuwait’s oil exporting capability.

On Nov. 27, Lee will travel to Qatar. He will sign an air transportation agreement between South Korea and Qatar. He also plans to visit the main stadium of next year’s Asian Games to be held in its capital city of Doha.

During a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia on Nov. 28-29, Lee is scheduled to attend a joint conference on bilateral economic cooperation between the two governments.

He will return home on Dec. 1 after a visit to Oman.

Lee is accompanied by CEOs of South Korea’s 40 refineries, including Kim Sun-dong, president of S-Oil, and Seo Young-tae, president of Hyundai Oilbank.

The Middle East provides 78 percent of South Korea’s imported crude oil and 48 percent of its liquefied natural gas (LNG). It also accounts for about 59 percent of the country’s overseas construction orders.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr