South Korea, Kuwait grow closer through difficult times: Envoy

ملخص مفصل

KUWAIT: South Korea has praised Kuwait’s handling of regional tensions and the resilience of its people, with Ambassador Kim Jang-hyun reaffirming Seoul’s ...

KUWAIT: South Korea has praised Kuwait’s handling of regional tensions and the resilience of its people, with Ambassador Kim Jang-hyun reaffirming Seoul’s commitment to standing alongside the country during difficult times. Ambassador Kim recalled travelling by road from Dammam, Saudi Arabia, because direct flights to Kuwait were unavailable when he arrived in the country last May. Despite the difficult circumstances, he said Kuwaitis and members of the diplomatic corps had made him feel welcome from his first day.

“I have developed deep respect for the calm yet resolute response of the Government of the State of Kuwait and the remarkable resilience of its people,” he said at a reception marking South Korea’s National Foundation Day and Armed Forces Day. The ambassador highlighted the historical foundations of the relationship, recalling South Korea’s support for Kuwait during the 1990 Iraqi invasion. Seoul dispatched a military medical support unit and a military air transport unit comprising five C-130 aircraft, in addition to contributing financially to the coalition effort to liberate Kuwait.

“Real friends are those who remain beside you through thick and thin,” Ambassador Kim said, referring to the Arabic proverb “Al-sadeeq waqt al-dheeq.” He said many Kuwaitis continued to remember South Korea’s support during the invasion and the recognition made his country grateful and proud. The two countries have maintained close diplomatic contact amid recent regional developments. Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah held a telephone conversation with his South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun in March before visiting Seoul in August.

The visit was the first by a Kuwaiti foreign minister to South Korea since 2007. The ministers discussed cooperation in energy, infrastructure and other fields, as well as developments in the Middle East.

The ambassador highlighted opportunities to expand economic cooperation, building on decades of Korean involvement in…

مطلع المقال، مقتطف من Kuwait Times. لقراءة المقال كاملًا، افتحه على موقع الناشر.