President Park Geun-hye plans to meet with South Korean businessmen in Qatar on Saturday on the last leg of her four-nation Mideast swing, which is primarily focused on expanding economic ties beyond oil and construction, Park's office said.
(Yonhap)
South Korea's relations with oil-rich Middle East countries have long been dominated by Seoul's oil imports and its construction projects in the region.
Park's meeting with South Korean businessmen is scheduled at 12 p.m. at a hotel, according to her office.
The meeting would be the latest in a series of meetings she has held during her Mideast swing that took her to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Park's visit comes as Mideast countries are pushing to diversify their economies, which are heavily dependent on oil, ahead of the inevitable advent of a post-oil era.
South Korea believes Mideast countries' attempts to diversify their industries could present new business opportunities for South Korean companies, especially in the sectors of health care, information and communication technology and nuclear energy.
Also Saturday, Park plans to attend a hotel function meant to promote a cultural exchange between South Korea and Qatar.
Park is set to hold talks with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani on Sunday before returning home. (Yonhap)
