BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam is scheduled to make a two-day state visit to South Korea next week, as the two countries mark 30 years of diplomatic relations.

According to the Office of President Park Geun-hye, the leaders will discuss ways to expand substantive cooperation in the economy, industry, defence, as well as in social and cultural affairs.

They are also expected to exchange views on regional issues involving the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and ASEAN.

His Majesty is then expected to attend the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit in Busan from December 11 to 12.

President Park last visited Bandar Seri Begawan in October 2013 to attend the East Asia Summit.

Korea is one of Brunei’s key export partners with shipments of oil and gas reaching $2.3 billion last year.

Although the Sultanate’s contract to supply natural gas to Korea ends in 2018, Seoul has invested over $100 million to build an aluminium plant in Tutong.

The plant will supply aluminium products to Korea and third party countries.

Cooperation between the two countries covers a wide range of areas including education, agriculture, and ICT.

The Brunei Times