Saudi Commerce Minister Leads Delegation to Boost Trade with South Korea

Saudi Commerce Minister Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi arrived in Seoul on Monday, leading a Saudi delegation on a three-day visit to bolster trade ties with South Korea. (SPA)
Saudi Commerce Minister Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi arrived in Seoul on Monday, leading a Saudi delegation on a three-day visit to bolster trade ties with South Korea. (SPA)
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Saudi Commerce Minister Leads Delegation to Boost Trade with South Korea

Saudi Commerce Minister Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi arrived in Seoul on Monday, leading a Saudi delegation on a three-day visit to bolster trade ties with South Korea. (SPA)
Saudi Commerce Minister Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi arrived in Seoul on Monday, leading a Saudi delegation on a three-day visit to bolster trade ties with South Korea. (SPA)

Saudi Commerce Minister Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi arrived in Seoul on Monday, leading a Saudi delegation on a three-day visit to bolster trade ties with South Korea.

The delegation, comprising officials from 10 government agencies and 55 business leaders from major national companies, aims to reinforce economic partnerships and participate in the Saudi-Korean Business Forum.

During a meeting with Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Al-Qasabi highlighted the importance of strengthening commercial ties between the two countries in line with the directives of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

The discussions centered on the progress in free trade agreement talks between South Korea and the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as the impact of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 reform agenda on potential business opportunities for collaboration.

Saudi Ambassador to South Korea Sami bin Mohammed Al-Sadhan was present at the meeting.

Al-Qasabi also discussed with the Korean Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups, Oh Young-ju, to explore opportunities for knowledge sharing and talent exchange, drawing on Seoul’s experience in developing small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

He met with Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon to discuss the company's plans to enter the Saudi market and collaborate on expanding e-commerce in the Kingdom.



Oil Prices Rise on Fears of Wider Middle East Conflict

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
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Oil Prices Rise on Fears of Wider Middle East Conflict

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)

Oil prices rose on Monday, paring last week's loss, on fears of a widening conflict in the Middle East following a rocket strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which Israel and the United States blamed on Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

Brent crude futures gained 20 cents, or 0.3%, to $81.33 a barrel at 0010 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures climbed 9 cents, or 0.1%, to $77.25 a barrel.

Last week, Brent lost 1.8% while WTI fell 3.7% on sagging Chinese demand and hopes of a Gaza ceasefire agreement.

On Sunday, Israel's security cabinet authorized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to decide on the "manner and timing" of a response to the Saturday's rocket strike in the Golan Heights that killed 12 teenagers and children.

Iran-backed Hezbollah denied responsibility for the attack.

"Worries over escalating tensions in the Middle East prompted fresh buying, but gains were limited by lingering concerns of weakening demand in China," Reuters quoted Toshitaka Tazawa, an analyst at Fujitomi Securities as saying.

Over the past few weeks, hopes of a ceasefire in Gaza have been gaining momentum.

But Israel wants changes in a plan for a Gaza truce and the release of hostages by Hamas, complicating a deal to halt nine months of combat that have devastated the enclave, according to a Western official, a Palestinian and two Egyptian sources.

On the demand side, data released earlier this month showing that China's total fuel oil imports dropped 11% in the first half of 2024 have raised concern about the wider demand outlook in China, the world's biggest crude importer.

Meanwhile, US energy firms last week added oil and natural gas rigs for a second week in a row, boosting the monthly count by the most since November 2022, energy services firm Baker Hughes said in its closely followed report on Friday.