Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn will make a five-day trip to Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia later this week to hold talks with counterparts on expanding mutual ties, his office said Wednesday.

Hwang is scheduled to leave for Uzbekistan on Thursday to meet Uzbek President Islam Karimov, and discuss expanding exchanges in various industrial segments from energy, infrastructure to information communications.

Korea and Uzbekistan will also promote further exchanges in the cultural and education sectors as well, his office added. The two countries established diplomatic ties in 1992.

The prime minister will also hold talks with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Alsaud and join forces in energy, construction, and plant industries.

Hwang will also share ideas on lending support to the Middle East country's so-called Vision 2030 economic development project.

During his trip, Hwang will also visit Turkey to take part in the World Humanitarian Summit, where South Korea will exchange ideas on human rights-related issues with other countries.

Hwang also plans to hold a meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to discuss various issues at home and abroad. (Yonhap)