South Korea, Iraq agree to bolster defense industry cooperation

Seoul, March 20 : The defence chiefs of South Korea and Iraq agreed on Wednesday to strengthen arms industry cooperation, Seouls defence ministry said.

Defence Minister Shin Won-sik and his Iraqi counterpart Thabet Mohammed Saeed Al-Abbasi made the agreement during their talks in Seoul where they discussed ways to expand bilateral defense ties, according to the ministry, Yonhap news agency reported.

Shin Won-sik briefed the Iraqi official on various South Korean weapons systems, noting the two sides have established the foundation for further cooperation with the export of the T-50 series aircraft to Iraq.

In 2013, Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd.(KAI) signed a deal to supply 24 T-50IQs, a variant of the T-50 supersonic trainer, to the Middle Eastern country.

రామ్ చరణ్ అల్లు అర్జున్ మహేష్ బాబు లతో సినిమా ప్లాన్ చేస్తున్న స్టార్ ప్రొడ్యూసర్స్......

The Iraqi minister expressed expectations that if advanced South Korean weapons are introduced to Iraq, it would help strengthen the countrys defense capabilities, according to the ministry.

The ministry said the Iraqi minister plans to meet CEOs of major South Korean defense companies during his stay in South Korea.He is expected to meet KAI officials later in the day.

Earlier this month, Lt.Gen.Sameer Zaki Hussein Al-Maliki, commander of Iraqs Army Aviation Command, checked a KUH-1 Surion helicopter during his visit to KAIs headquarters in Sacheon, 296 kilometers southeast of Seoul, raising speculation over a potential deal.

int/svn