SEOUL, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- South Korean Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook left for the Middle East, Africa and Asia Monday on a high-profile visit to secure stable energy supply sources.
During her 10-day visit to the United Arab Emirates, Libya, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Han will seek business opportunities in the oil-rich countries, Han's office said.
In Dubai, Han will hold talks with Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, on ways to enhance energy cooperation between the two countries.
During the tour, Han will be accompanied by about 60 business leaders and government officials, including the construction minister and the vice energy minister.
South Korea's shipbuilders and construction companies have benefited from a strong demand for their services from oil-rich Middle Eastern countries with huge currency reserves thanks to strong crude prices.
Energy-poor South Korea, the world's fourth-largest oil importer and second-largest gas buyer, is vulnerable to rises in oil prices because it imports almost all of its crude oil requirements, more than 80 percent of which comes from the volatile Middle East.
