The leaders of South Korea and Greece discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in various areas including trade, investment, tourism and infrastructure construction during their talks in Seoul on Tuesday.

Presidents Park Geun-hye and Karolos Papoulias focused particularly on their countries’ steady cooperation in the shipbuilding industry. Park called on Papoulias to continue to support South Korean firms’ advance into the Greek market.

Papoulias arrived in Seoul on Monday for a four-day state visit on the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice Agreement. It is his first visit to Seoul since he came here as a foreign minister in 1987.

Park stressed that Greece is the largest export market for Korea’s shipbuilding and maritime industries. Export orders which Korean shipbuilding firms have received from Greece over the last four years account for 24.9 percent of the total.

Park also asked Papoulias to help South Korean firms participate in Greek infrastructure-related projects including one to purchase subway trains.

Noting that the Korea-EU free trade pact would bring about a positive effect on the expansion of bilateral trade and investment, Park requested that Greece conclude its domestic ratification process at an early date.

Park also expressed gratitude to Greece for sending military support to South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War. Greece sent 10,581 troops and 186 of them were killed in action.

After their talks, the two countries signed a pact to protect military secrets in a move to expand exchanges in the defense industry.

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