Natl. Assembly speaker asks Oman, Bahrain to export urea solution to S. Korea

MADRID -- National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug held meetings with his counterparts from Oman and Bahrain on Saturday during which he asked the two Middle East nations to export urea solution to South Korea.

The meeting came as South Korea is scrambling to secure urea solution, the essential fluid used in diesel vehicles to cut emissions, after China imposed export curbs on urea to ease domestic supply bottlenecks.

Park, who is in Madrid to attend the 143rd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly, held a meeting with Khalid bin Hilal Al Mawali, chairman of Oman's consultative assembly, and asked him to open a "channel" to export urea solution to South Korean firms.

Park received a positive reaction from Al Mawali and the two sides agreed to hold consultations on the issue through their diplomatic channel.

Al Mawali said that Oman hopes to expand cooperation with South Korea in the fields of renewable energy, tourism, mining and agriculture.

On the sidelines of the 143rd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly, Park also held a meeting with Fawzia bint Abdulla Zainal, speaker of Bahrain's Council of Representatives.

Park asked Bahrain to export urea solution to South Korea.

Fawzia positively responded to Park's request.

South Korea recently said it can secure a five-month stockpile of urea solution for diesel automobiles through more imports.

The government expected the supply of urea solution to be stable until the midpoint of next year, given planned imports of urea and potential shipments under talks for imports.

Meanwhile, Park held a meeting with Yolanda Perez Gomez, chairperson of the International Relations Committee of Cuba's parliament.

During the meeting, Park said he welcomed that Cuba and North Korea have maintained stable relations.

South Korea and Cuba have no formal diplomatic relations. (Yonhap)