South Korea's Defense Minister Suh Wook has embarked on a trip to the United Arab Emirates(UAE) and India.

The Defense Ministry said on Monday that the visit is to resume the country's defense diplomacy activities, which have been delayed since last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to invigorate defense exchanges and cooperation with the nations.

Minister Suh departed for the trip on Sunday afternoon on a commercial flight at Incheon International Airport. 

Suh will visit the UAE first at the invitation of Mohammad Ahmed Al Bowardi, the country's minister of state for defense, and hold annual security talks to discuss military exchanges and defense cooperation between the two nations.

During the trip, Suh plans to meet with the country's other major military figures as well and visit South Korea's Akh Unit dispatched to the Middle Eastern country, as the unit celebrates the tenth anniversary of its service there.

The minister will fly to India for a three-day trip on Thursday to hold talks with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh.