By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo will begin an eight-day trip this weekend to Saudi Arabia and France to discuss ways of boosting bilateral military ties and cooperation in the defense industry, the ministry said Thursday.
``Kim will visit Saudi Arabia from Dec. 9-11 for talks with his counterpart,'' a ministry spokesman said.
He will also fly to France to meet with the new defense minister under the Sarkozy administration to discuss cooperation in international peacekeeping activities and other matters of mutual concern, the spokesman said.
The minister will be awarded a medal from the French government for his contributions to the defense ties between the two countries, he said.
Kim returns home Friday.