South Korea, Botswana sign agreement to promote military cooperation
Correspondent | Thursday January 19, 2017 16:04
Defence Minister Han Min-koo and his Botswana counterpart Shaw Kgathi discussed ways to promote meetings of high-ranking military officials and defense industry deals, the Ministry of National Defence said in a statement.
“Han explained the current security situation on the Korean Peninsula, citing North Korea’s nuclear and missile development programmes, to the Botswana minister. And he asked Botswana to join international efforts to pressure Pyongyang to give up its nuclear programme,” the statement said.
Botswana severed its diplomatic ties with North Korea in February 2014 after a UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) reported on human rights abuses in the reclusive country, which included forced labor, sexual abuse and public executions.
The African country also lashed out at North Korea as it conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests in January and September, respectively, last year.
However, there was no elaboration on how the two sides will promote defense ties to help tackle military threats from the communist nation.
During his one-week trip to South Korea that ends Sunday, Minister Kgathi is also scheduled to meet Chang Myoung-jin, minister of the Defence Acquisition Programme Administration, to discuss possible cooperation in the defense industry.
Currently, South Korea has military ties with 42 countries, including three African nations -- Gabon, Ethiopia and Uganda.