SEOUL — South Korea is strengthening business and economic ties in the Middle East, signing deals for electric vehicle manufacturing, digital development, energy, infrastructure and shipbuilding as it seeks fresh opportunities in a region it heavily depends on for oil and gas.
The push is led by President Yoon Suk Yeol, who followed up a visit to the United Arab Emirates in January with a trip to Saudi Arabia and Qatar this week — just as geopolitical tensions nearby spike in a stark reminder of the broader area’s potential for instability.