Seoul: South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday vowed to enhance ties with Doha during his first phone call with Qatari Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The discussion highlighted the longstanding partnership between the two nations, with Qatar being a vital energy supplier to South Korea, and South Korea playing a crucial role in Qatar's infrastructure development.

According to Anadolu Agency, Lee Jae Myung shared on X that the partnership between Seoul and Doha has expanded beyond energy and infrastructure. The collaboration now includes sectors such as investment and defense. The president expressed a shared commitment with the Qatari emir to further strengthen these ties.

During the call, Lee extended his congratulations to Sheikh Tamim on Paris Saint-Germain's recent victory in the UEFA Champions League. This achievement holds significance as the club is owned by the Qatari royal family and hosts Korean footballer Lee Kang-In. Lee also expressed his hope for a friendly match between PSG and a Korean football club to be held in Korea soon.

Diplomatic relations between South Korea and Qatar were established in 1974, and by the end of 2023, their annual trade volume reached approximately $16 billion. Notably, South Korea is the second-largest importer of Qatari LNG, accounting for 19.5% of its annual consumption.