10/23/2023

President of Korea Visits Saudi Digital Economy, Innovation, Space Ecosystem Exhibition

he President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol visited the exhibition of the digital economy today, innovation and space ecosystem as part of his current visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Abdullah Al-Swaha received the Korean president upon his arrival at the headquarters of the innovation hub "The Garage" in King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST).

During his exhibition tour, President Yeol was briefed on the digital ecosystem's projects and initiatives, which contribute to addressing global challenges and achieving national aspirations and priorities in research, development, and innovation. This effort also helps Saudi Arabia enhance its competitiveness and play a pioneering role on a global scale in alignment with the ambitious national Vision 2030.

The Korean president commended the Kingdom's significant progress in the research, development, and innovation sector, as well as the research projects carried out in advanced national laboratories and research centers. Yeol expressed Korea's interest in strengthening scientific and technical cooperation with Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the Saudi Arabia – Korea Partnership Forum on Key Technologies of the Future as a new step in cooperation between the two countries in digitization, clean energy, and space.

These are important areas that influence other industries and are a fundamental driver for future growth, the Korean president noted.

Furthermore, Yeol said the Kingdom is moving towards the transformation of cities, government, and companies into smart entities through a focus on 5G, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and other advanced digital technologies.

This presents an opportunity to establish collaboration and partnerships between private sector entities in both countries, Yeol said.
The President of Korea added that cooperation in the fields of clean and renewable energy will enable both countries to achieve their goals in addressing climate change and contributing to sustainable development worldwide.

He also praised the virtual hospital project in the Kingdom, saying that the partnership with the Korean side will reduce medical costs and improve health conditions, putting the two countries in a leading position in the global healthcare market.

President Yeol expressed his desire to expand cooperation between the two countries in space technology. Specifically, he mentioned the desire to collaborate on lunar exploration, satellite development, and other future technologies. He expressed confidence in the ideas and discussions between the scientists from both countries, adding that they are the foundation for developing a solid partnership and opening new horizons for the world.

The Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Eng. Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha, emphasized that the strategic partnership between the two countries goes beyond just trade and energy. It also encompasses technology, innovation, and space, all aimed at building a sustainable future for both nations. Al-Swaha stated that the partnership's goal is to achieve global leadership in energy technologies and digital innovation. This visit further solidifies the strong and continuous bond between the two countries, which has been ongoing for over six decades.

During a forum attended by Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih, Al-Swaha highlighted various areas of potential collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Korea. He mentioned the opportunity for partnership in fifth and sixth-generation technologies, open radio network technologies, advanced industries, deep technologies, generative artificial intelligence, and new space technologies such as surveillance and communication systems to connect the offline world and navigation.

President Yoon Suk Yeol participated in a presentation that discussed the outcomes of four workshops conducted by Saudi scientists in collaboration with their Korean counterparts. These workshops focused on digital technologies, innovation and clean energy, innovation and advanced biotechnologies, as well as space.
The workshops were organized as part of the Saudi-Korean Future Technology Partnership Forum.