South Korea's Yoon departs for Saudi Arabia and Qatar

FILE PHOTO: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a joint press conference with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (not pictured) at the trilateral summit at Camp David near Thurmont, Maryland, U.S., August 18, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol left for Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Saturday to discuss business cooperation as well as to discuss security conditions amid the crisis in the Middle East, his office said.

Yoon, in what would be the first state visit by a South Korean leader, will hold talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday, and will travel to Qatar on Oct. 24-25 for a summit and to attend a business forum.