South Korea signed an agreement with Qatar Tuesday for cooperation in the construction sector in the energy-rich Gulf state that will host the 2022 football World Cup, state media said.
The two sides signed the memorandum of understanding during a visit to Qatar by South Korean Prime Minister Jung Hong-won, QNA news agency reported.
Earlier, Jung held talks with Qatar’s emir Sheikh Tamim al-Thani in which the two leaders discussed improving relations, especially in the economic field, it added.
Qatar is the top natural gas exporter to South Korea.
According to an Arabic translation of his interview with Qatari daily Al-Sharq, Jung said his talks with Qatari officials would “focus on the effective participation of Korean companies… in construction projects that come in preparation” of the 2022 games.
Trade between Qatar and South Korea had doubled from $123 billion in 2010 to $262 billion in 2012, the newspaper cited Jung as saying.
Oil exports had increased from 64 million barrels in 2010 to 103 million barrels in 2012, Al-Sharq reported.
Qatari exports account for 30 percent of South Korea’s entire natural gas imports, he said.
The Gulf country boasts the world’s third largest natural gas reserves.
SKorea agrees construction deal in World Cup host Qatar
