북한의 3차 핵실험 준비로 한반도 긴장이 고조된 가운데, 김관진 국방장관이 국방협력협정체결을 위해 사우디아라비아를 5일부터 3일간 공식 방문했다. 일각에서는 북한의 도발이 언제 발생할 지 모르는 엄중한 시기에 해외 출장을 갔다고 비난했다.

국방부 측은 보도자료를 통해, “합참의장과 국방차관이 대비할 수 있도록 유사시 상황별 매뉴얼 준비등 모든 준비가 갖추어져 있다고,” 말했다.

김 장관과 사우디 살만 빈 압둘 아지즈 왕세제 겸 국방장관과 국방협력협정을 한국시간으로 5일 오후에 체결했다.

이 협정은 양국 국방교류협력 범위와 분야, 인사 정보교류 및 교육훈련 교류 등을 포함하는 포괄적 성격의 국방교류 협력에 관한 조약이라고 국방부 측은 설명했다. 국방부는 이번 체결로 향후 다양한 분야의 국방협력이 증진될 것이라고 기대했다.

김 장관은 협정체결 이후, 미텝 빈 압둘라 국가방위군 사령관 겸 국무장관과도 만나 한국군과의 협력증진 방안을 논의할 예정이다. 또한 김 장관은 미텝 장관에게 양국 관계 발전에 기여한 공로에 표시로 수교훈장 광화대장을 대한민국 정부를 대표하여 서훈하기로 했다.


(코리아헤럴드 송상호기자)





<관련 영어 기사>

Defense chief takes flak for leaving Seoul amid N.K. threat


By Song Sang-ho 


Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin left for Saudi Arabia on Monday night for a defense cooperation deal despite growing tensions over North Korea’s preparations for a third nuclear test.

Seoul officials defended his three-day visit, saying that the military was fully ready for all possible contingencies. They underscored that the bilateral pact would help bolster Korea’s defense industry and enhance its energy security.

“We are all ready prepared for an emergency as we have made all the arrangements for the chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff and the vice defense minister to handle all possible contingencies in place of the minister,” a senior Defense Ministry official told reporters.

“Saudi Arabia wanted to ink the treaty before Seoul’s incumbent government ends its term as it has strived for the pact. Saudi is one of the world’s largest defense markets, and the pact is meaningful as it would help us secure a bridgehead into the market.”

Kim and his counterpart Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Tuesday signed the agreement to institute a regular vice-minister-level strategic dialogue, expand high-level, people-to-people exchanges and bolster cooperation in the defense industry, officials said.

“The defense minister’s visit to Saudi Arabia will serve as an opportunity to take bilateral cooperative ties in defense and military sectors to a new level,” Defense Deputy Minister of Policy Lim Gwan-bin told reporters.

“On top of that, it will also contribute greatly to bolstering bilateral practical cooperation in energy security and other areas.”

Lim added that the agreement would be the foundation upon which the two countries can spur other types of cooperation including the sharing of military intelligence and the acquisition of military products.

After signing the pact, Minister Kim was also to meet Minister of State Miteb bin Abdullah and award him Seoul’s order of diplomatic service merit to recognize his contribution to enhancing the two countries’ relations.

Last June, Saudi Arabia set up a contingent of military attaches in South Korea, paving the way for deeper bilateral defense cooperation.

Five Middle East states including Saudi Arabia have such defense cooperation pacts with South Korea. Israel and Kuwait have lower-level agreements with Seoul, which are not binding under international law while Jordan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia have treaty-level pacts which are binding, officials explained.

Saudi Arabia is a lucrative defense market for South Korea. Its defense spending for 2011 was $46.2 billon. Saudi Arabia has some 315,000 troops, Seoul officials said.

(sshluck@heraldcorp.com)