(ATTN: UPDATES with summit results; CHANGES headline)
By Kim Kwang-tae
DOHA, March 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Qatar's emir agreed to further cooperate in nuclear reactor and health care while cementing ties in such traditional sectors as construction, Park's office said Sunday.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani told Park that he is ready to further develop cooperative relations with South Korea in a wide-range of issues, noting South Korea is a model of Qatar's economic growth.
The two leaders made the comments in their summit -- the second in four months -- in Doha, the last leg of Park's four-nation Mideast swing.
Park also sought Al Thani's interest to ensure that South Korean companies can participate in industrial and infrastructure projects in the oil-rich Gulf state, saying that South Korea -- which co-hosted the 2002 World Cup with Japan -- can be a good partner for Qatar in building infrastructure.
Qatar plans to spend about US$100 billion to expand its infrastructure such as roads and stadiums to prepare for the 2022 World Cup. South Korea hopes that its companies could secure some of the projects.
Qatar is currently the 13th largest market for South Korean builders.
Park's second summit with Al Thani in four months underscored strengthening relations between South Korea and Qatar. Qatar is South Korea's No. 1 supplier of natural gas and fifth-largest supplier of crude oil.
The two leaders also observed the signing of a memorandum of understanding calling for cooperation on training nuclear experts and on building a nuclear reactor for medical and other research purposes.
South Korea said the MOU could help its companies win projects in case Qatar decides to build nuclear reactors in the future.
The move came just days after Park and Saudi Arabia's new monarch observed the signing of an MOU calling for a joint partnership on a nuclear reactor developed by South Korea for export to water-scarce countries, including the Middle East.
South Korea said the MOU could help its companies win a US$2 billion project to build two mid-size commercial reactors in Saudi Arabia if the desert kingdom decides to build the reactors after a preliminary review set to end by 2018.
Saudi Arabia plans to install up to 18 nuclear reactors by 2040 as part of its efforts to meet its growing energy needs.
South Korea -- which relies on 23 nuclear reactors for one-third of its energy needs -- has emerged as a new export powerhouse of nuclear power plants in recent years.
In 2009, a South Korean consortium won a US$20.4 billion project to build four light water nuclear reactors in the United Arab Emirates by 2020 in South Korea's first export of nuclear reactors.
Also Sunday, South Korea said its sovereign wealth fund, Korea Investment Corporation, is in talks with its Qatari counterpart, Qatar Investment Authority, which manages US$256 billion, to make a joint investment worth $2 billion, according to Park's office.
The two countries will also push to cooperate to ensure that Qatari nationals can visit South Korea for medical treatments and that Qatari doctors can receive training in South Korea.
South Korea in recent years has emerged as one of the most-favored destinations for foreigners who seek medical treatment.
In 2013, more than 3,500 people from the Middle East visited South Korea on medical tours, compared with 2,165 from the previous year, according to data released by South Korea's presidential office. South Korea earned 24.3 billion won ($21.8 million) for treating people from the Middle East in 2013, up from 6.9 billion won in 2012.
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