(continued from Part 1 of 2)

Chairman Kim spoke with MENA ambassadors to Korea, including Ambassador Abdulla Alromaithi of the UAE and Ambassador Mohamed Elzorkany of Egypt, in regards to holding seminars with MENA ambassadors regularly for greater assistance of Korean firms advancing to the MENA region.

Chairman Kim also held talks with H.E. Hussain J. Al Nowais, Chairman of the Board for General Holdings Corporation, and Ali S. Al Barrak, president and CEO of SEC, to discuss increased cooperation for MENA projects.

The Export-Import Bank of Korea signed MOUs with Riyad Bank and Samba Financial Group on April 25 for information exchange and project cooperation.

Since July 2011, the Bank has signed cooperation agreements with 12 Middle East banks to jointly assist Korean firms. The Bank also plans to sign cooperation agreements with Islamic Development Bank, National Commericial Bank, and Doha Bank by June 2012.

The Bank, with 35 years experience in supporting overseas projects, will increase financing for Middle Eastern projects and strengthen networks with major institutions in the region to maximize the second “Middle East Boom."