Cooperation between Seoul and Cairo on North Korea and defense industries

[The SC]

South Korean and Egypt defense ministers agreed on closer partnership between the two countries on North Korea and the development of weapons, South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said Monday.

During a meeting between South Korean Defense Minister Song Yong Moo and his Egyptian counterpart Sidqi Subhi, the guest stressed that his country had severed all military ties with North Korea, according to the ministry in Seoul.

"Cairo will deal closely with Seoul against North Korea's actions that threaten the peace and stability of the international community," the ministry quoted Sobhi as saying.

During the talks, the Egyptian minister also agreed to his Korean counterpart's request for cooperation on tightening sanctions against North Korea in response to last week's nuclear test. Cairo is participating in UN Security Council meetings as a non-permanent member.

During the first talks between the two countries' ministers, the two sides also agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in defense industries.

In the context, Sobhi received a briefing from the Korean side on the quality of South Korean weapons products and other defense industries.

In an effort to improve cooperation between the two sides, Egypt plans next month to send a military attaché to Seoul, according to Sobhi.

Sobhi arrived in South Korea over the weekend for a five-day official visit. The follow-up measures are part of a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation between South Korea and Egypt signed by the two sides in March.

http://arabic.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2017/09/11/0200000000AAR20170911003000885.html

 

[Gomig-21]

During a meeting between South Korean Defense Minister Song Yong Moo and his Egyptian counterpart Sidqi Subhi, the guest stressed that his country had severed all military ties with North Korea, according to the ministry in Seoul.

"Cairo will deal closely with Seoul against North Korea's actions that threaten the peace and stability of the international community," the ministry quoted Sobhi as saying.

Good decision. Nothing to gain in the current political landscape by being allied with NK.

In an effort to improve cooperation between the two sides, Egypt plans next month to send a military attaché to Seoul, according to Sobhi.

Military cooperation with SK is a no-brainer.

 

[mahatir]

Good decision. Nothing to gain in the current political landscape by being allied with NK.



Military cooperation with SK is a no-brainer.

Egypt is not allied to NK , it is only an important source for developing Egypt ballistic missile program for the past 3 decades . I dont think Egypt will really cut ties with NK , instead keep a low level interaction .

 

[Gomig-21]

Egypt is not allied to NK , it is only an important source for developing Egypt ballistic missile program for the past 3 decades

That's what I meant, thanks for the correction.

I dont think Egypt will really cut ties with NK , instead keep a low level interaction .

That would be quite risky considering all the recent agreements with South Korea. Are you suggesting some kind of secret pact with SK?

 

[mahatir]

That's what I meant, thanks for the correction.



That would be quite risky considering all the recent agreements with South Korea. Are you suggesting some kind of secret pact with SK?

I mean the other way around developing and creating a military pact with SK officially and keep low level ties with NK . This is will also reduce international pressure on Egypt regarding NK . The relationship with NK has always been under the table anyway .

You would be amazed if I told you that Egypt ties with NK is even stronger than Iran's ties with it and they started their ballistic missile project when Egypt supplied them with Scud-D missiles back in the 1980s.

The only operating mobile phone Company operating in NK was set up by Osrascom Telecom owned by Sawiris and as you know he has always been an ally to the deep Egyptian state . You can see this in the current mega projects where Orascom Construction were given major contracts in the New City and Suez canal Project .

Egypt will continue increasing its international portfolio with all major players and ofcourse SK is far more important than NK but again Egypt should not completely cut ties with a country for anyone else.

 

[Gomig-21]

I mean the other way around developing and creating a military pact with SK officially and keep low level ties with NK

IMO, that would be impossible. Given the current tensions between SK & NK, there is no way Egypt would risk anything close to that. If you suggested that this might be some "under the table" agreement between SK and Egypt, that might be plausible. But to do it behind SK's back after just signing major defense agreements would be very unproductive and an unworthy gamble. Something like that would be impossible to hide from the South Koreans and especially the US.

I'm aware of all the past dealings with NK and Egypt's scud missiles, but to come out and announce an end to that and be sneaky about it....doubtful.

The only operating mobile phone Company operating in NK was set up by Osrascom Telecom owned by Sawiris and as you know he has always been an ally to the deep Egyptian state . You can see this in the current mega projects where Orascom Construction were given major contracts in the New City and Suez canal Project .

They never mentioned ending any civil cooperation, only military.

 

[mahatir]

IMO, that would be impossible. Given the current tensions between SK & NK, there is no way Egypt would risk anything close to that. If you suggested that this might be some "under the table" agreement between SK and Egypt, that might be plausible. But to do it behind SK's back after just signing major defense agreements would be very unproductive and an unworthy gamble. Something like that would be impossible to hide from the South Koreans and especially the US.

I'm aware of all the past dealings with NK and Egypt's scud missiles, but to come out and announce an end to that and be sneaky about it....doubtful.



They never mentioned ending any civil cooperation, only military.

Mubarak did the same back in the 1990s an continued cooperation with NK . I dont see why Egypt should stop cooperation with NK when USA until now supports and funds MB .

There has to be a big concession from SK inorder for Egypt to drop NK , time will tell what they will offer and it either has to include TOT or major investments in Agriculture .

 

[The SC]

Mubarak did the same back in the 1990s an continued cooperation with NK . I dont see why Egypt should stop cooperation with NK when USA until now supports and funds MB .

There has to be a big concession from SK inorder for Egypt to drop NK , time will tell what they will offer and it either has to include TOT or major investments in Agriculture .

Both ToT and major investments not only in agriculture but in many other fields also, plus some of the best military equipments and systems, they will help Egypt in every field possible, this is a new strategic alliance.. maybe even concocted by Trump and the Pentagon to go around the US congress (read influenced by the Usrali lobby) decisions and new policies towards Egypt, like cutting parts of the Military and economic aid based on Camp David agreements _ because of human rights violations!_ aid as well as opposition to sell some military advanced systems to Egypt..
The military ties with Nk were ended quite some time ago, according to a CIA's report in 2004, Egypt had no military ties with NK. The political and diplomatic ties will continue though, only the economic ties will become low profile _they are not much anyway, around $400 million_, since Trump called for all the countries of the world to cut economic ties with NK..or else, (easy said than done; at least China and Russia will continue supporting NK), which leads us to the fact that NK won't mind the Egyptian talk anyway, since Egypt is a good friend but not a protector of the latter, and NK won't like to see Egypt sanctioned for no valuable reasons..Remember that the congress is very mad about Egypt's strategic ties with Russia, the Nuclear project and the Russian sophisticated weapons bought by Egypt..So it is clear that the US Congress will look for any opportunity to sanction Egypt by cutting more aid and may go beyond that.. but Egypt is playing it smart and safe.. it is showing that it values its Strategic relations with the US over NK while reinforcing it by building a strong strategic relation with SK another strategic ally of the US.. Thus neutralizing the US congress..