By Lee Sang-seok
Korea Times Correspondent

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates _ The Korea Times and United Arab Emirates state-run news agency WAM have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), indicating the increasingly strong cooperation between South Korea and the Gulf nation.

The MOU was signed by Lee Sang-seok, managing editor of The Korea Times, and Ibrahim Al Abed, director of Emirates News Agency, at the latter’s office here on Tuesday.

The agreement calls for speedy and free transmission of news items between the two organizations. It also paves the way for each organization to have the ``right to download news and images from their respective Web sites for distribution to their subscribers.’’

This is the first time WAM, an influential news agency in the region, has agreed to establish a partnership with a South Korean news outlet.

The agreement says that ``each side will provide all assistance and facilities to the correspondents of the other organization and enable them to perform their duties in the appropriate way.’’ Under the pact, the two sides will exchange visits, expertise and information in the fields of press and information.

Ibrahim, who is also serving as director at the Department of External Information here, said the agreement will help The Korea Times and WAM introduce South Korea to the Gulf region and United Arab Emirate to Northeast Asia. ``I believe that this will make the flow of news much quicker and easier,’’ he said.

Lee expressed hope that freer exchange of news, views and pictures will help promote mutual understanding between the peoples of the two nations. ``I think that this agreement will help each other enhance the standard of services for their respective subscribers,’’ he said.

behappy@hk.co.kr