President Lee Myung-bak and Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa discussed bilateral cooperation in business and development, and ways to enhance friendly ties between the two countries during their talks in Seoul on Tuesday.

After coming here on Monday for a two-day visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik, Salman paid a courtesy call to Lee.

Lee called on the crown prince to help more Korean firms advance into the Middle East nation, Cheong Wa Dae said.

Nine Korean firms are currently operating in Bahrain. They won a total of 53 construction deals worth $3.6 billion as of 2011. The two-way trade volume reached $887 million last year.

Salman expressed his expectation that the two countries will continue to expand cooperation in business, information, communications and people-to-people exchanges.

The two countries also signed an agreement on preventing dual taxation.

Lee also expressed his gratitude to Salman for his country’s cooperation when Korea reopened its mission in Bahrain last December, while noting that the bilateral relationship has deepened since the two opened diplomatic ties in 1976.

Hit by a financial crisis, Seoul closed its mission in Bahrain in 1999 as part of its restructuring efforts.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)