Seoul: South Korea's defense chief recently met with Saudi Arabia's minister of national guard to discuss ways to expand bilateral cooperation in the defense and arms industry, officials announced on Monday. Ahn held the meeting with Saudi's Minister of National Guard Abdullah bin Bandar in Riyadh on Sunday, as reported by the defense ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, during the talks, Ahn expressed appreciation for the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in the defense and arms sectors, highlighting Seoul's significant role in Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 initiative. This initiative aims to localize over 50 percent of military equipment procurement by the year 2030, in addition to efforts focused on modernizing the military.
In response to Ahn's remarks, Abdullah welcomed the visit and expressed hope that the discussions would further enhance the relationship between the two nations. The two sides agreed to expand cooperation to build mutual trust, including through personnel exchanges and joint military training exercises.
South Korean defense firms have been actively seeking participation in projects aimed at strengthening Saudi Arabia's military capabilities. Last month, Hanwha Aerospace Co. established a regional headquarters in Riyadh, demonstrating South Korea's commitment to engaging with the Middle Eastern country's defense initiatives.