S. Korea likely to sell more high-speed boats to Kazakhstan: officials

By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is seeking to sell a number of retired
high-speed patrol vessels to Kazakhstan, defense officials in Seoul said Monday,
a deal that would build on their years of cooperation in the defense technology
sector.

The deal will be discussed in detail during Kazakh Navy Capt. Zhanzakov
Zhandarbek's five-day visit to Seoul, which begins Monday. He will meet with
Chung Ok-kun, his South Korean counterpart, as well as the chief of Seoul's
weapons procurement agency, multiple sources in the defense ministry and navy
said.
"We are expecting some positive results," a ministry official said, requesting
anonymity because the details have not been fixed.
South Korea handed over three retired patrol boats to Kazakhstan in March 2006 as
part of efforts to boost bilateral military ties with the Kazakh Navy,
established in 2003. The vessels were taken out of commission in December 2004
after operating in South Korean waters for about 25 years.
The Central Asian state has recently expressed an interest in purchasing more of
the South Korean-made patrol boats.
The deal is likely to be concluded when Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev
visits South Korea in April, according to another Seoul official.
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)

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