(LEAD) S. Korea, Norway signal start of defense trade with technology pact

(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks from Norwegian vice defense minister, minor changes) By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Norway on Monday signed an agreement on the protection of defense technology, signaling the possible start of what officials here called a "meaningful" exchange of defense goods and related technologies.

The pact was signed by visiting Norwegian Vice Defense Minister Espen Barth Eide
and his South Korean counterpart Kim Jong-cheon, according to the Defense
Ministry.
The countries currently have no substantive exchange of defense goods, according
to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Seoul's sole defense
procurement office.
However, officials noted the European nation was studying various South Korean
weapons systems for possible purchase.
Eide, meeting later with Yonhap News Agency, also noted that what he called "the
arrangement on the confidentiality and security of defense information" will help
increase exchanges and cooperation between the countries.
"The point of the arrangement today is that in order to have advanced weapons
cooperation, you need sometimes to share classified information. It is a general
agreement on how we treat each other's classified material," the Norwegian vice
defense minister said.
South Korea is the second Asian country to have such an arrangement with Norway,
he said.
Eide said the agreement will not lead to an immediate boost in defense trade
between the countries but will open many opportunities in the future especially
in the shipbuilding industry, noting Norway already builds most of its commercial
ships in Korea.
"The pact allows the countries to provide more detailed information on their
weapons systems to each other, which can also be viewed as a sign of an apparent
start of meaningful deals," an official at the South Korean Defense Ministry
said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)