Lee, Saudi crown prince agree to strengthen cooperation in phone talks

SEOUL, Aug. 13 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman agreed to further strengthen the two countries' cooperation as they held phone talks Wednesday, Lee's office said.

In their first phone call since Lee's inauguration in June, the two leaders noted bilateral cooperation has expanded beyond the traditional sectors of energy and construction to manufacturing, defense, cutting-edge technologies and other areas, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing.

They agreed to further strengthen cooperation based on the longtime trust between their countries, with Lee expressing South Korea's wish to partner with Saudi Arabia in their quest to strengthen and develop their future strategic industries, she said.

The two leaders agreed to meet in the future and continue close consultations about ways to develop the bilateral relationship.

hague@yna.co.kr
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