South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn finished his schedule in Uzbekistan and departed for Saudi Arabia on Saturday, in an apparent bid to maintain a balanced diplomacy in the Middle East following the president's visit to Iran earlier this month.
It marks the first time since 2005 that a South Korean prime minister will visit Saudi Arabia.
Policy watchers said his visit to Saudi Arabia is in line with South Korea's efforts to maintain balance in the Middle East, especially as President Park Geun-hye recently visited Iran to expand diplomatic ties.
Hwang is set to hold talks with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to discuss ways to expand ties in the energy, construction and plant industries.
On the last leg of his trip, Hwang will visit Turkey to join the World Humanitarian Summit, where South Korea will exchange ideas on human rights issues with other countries.
Hwang also plans to hold a meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Turkey to discuss various issues at home and abroad. He will return to South Korea on Tuesday. (Yonhap)