S. Korean defense minister to visit Indonesia

South Korean defense minister Kim Kwan-jin will head to Indonesia next month for talks that might lead to a major deal to export attack submarines to the Southeast Asian country, reports here said Thursday. Kim's three-day trip that begins on September 7 will involve bilateral talks with Indonesian defense minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro over expanding bilateral defense ties. The tour might also lead to potential discussions over choosing Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, South Korea's major shipbuilder, as a preferred bidder for Indonesia's submarine acquisition project worth 1 billion U.S. dollars, according to the Yonhap News Agency. Representatives from nine South Korean companies including Daewoo are expected to accompany Kim on the trip at Jakarta's request, Yonhap quoted an unspecified official as saying.