SEOUL-- South Korea's Defense Minister Suh Wook held talks with Ghana's top envoy in Seoul on Thursday to discuss bilateral maritime security cooperation and other issues, his ministry said.

During the talks with Ambassador Charis Obetsebi-Lamptey Zwennes, Suh recalled the two countries' security cooperation in waters off West Africa last year, saying it has opened a "new chapter" of their collaboration.

He was apparently referring to the operation led by South Korea's anti-piracy Cheonghae unit to rescue four South Korean sailors kidnapped in the waters in June last year.

Suh and Zwennes vowed to continue such maritime security cooperation in the piracy-prone waters.

Suh invited Ghana to participate in the Seoul Defense Dialogue, an annual vice-ministerial security forum hosted by his ministry. It is slated to take place in September this year.

Zwennes said in turn that Ghana would "actively" consider sending a high-level official to the forum.

Source: Yonhap News Agency