Saudi Arabia, South Korea Seek to Boost Relations, Investments

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman holds talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman holds talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, South Korea Seek to Boost Relations, Investments

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman holds talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman holds talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, held talks on Tuesday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on bilateral relations between their countries and ways to bolster them in all fields.

The South Korean leader had arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday on an official visit.

Talks with the Crown Prince also tackled regional and international developments.

Saudi Ambassador to Seoul, Sami Alsadhan noted that Crown Prince Mohammed had made an official visit to South Korea in 2019.

His trip helped strengthen relations with Seoul and expanded them to cover areas such a health, information technology, culture and education, he told the Saudi Press Agency.

South Korea is a strategic partner to Saudi Arabia as shown in the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and the Saudi-Korean Vision 2030 cooperation agreement that was signed in October 2017, he added.

Meanwhile, a senior Korean source said Seoul and Riyadh enjoy military cooperation that may later be expanded to include rockets and military equipment.

Fields that may provide cooperation opportunities include hydrogen fuel, renewable energy, digitization, technology, advanced industries, education and health.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the bilateral talks between Saudi Arabia and South Korea covered several agreements and memorandums of understanding that underscore the strategic natures of their relations.

Moon's visit to Riyadh and meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed will pave the way for more opportunities and shape the future ties between their countries.

Major countries are seeking to relocate their regional headquarters to Saudi Arabia, he remarked, a reference to South Korea's LG Corp's plan to establish its regional headquarter Riyadh.



GCC Sec-Gen Condemns Storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli Extremist Minister

Muslim worshippers walk in front of the Dome of the Rock ahead of Friday prayer in the al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem's Old City February 9, 2024. (Reuters)
Muslim worshippers walk in front of the Dome of the Rock ahead of Friday prayer in the al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem's Old City February 9, 2024. (Reuters)
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GCC Sec-Gen Condemns Storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli Extremist Minister

Muslim worshippers walk in front of the Dome of the Rock ahead of Friday prayer in the al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem's Old City February 9, 2024. (Reuters)
Muslim worshippers walk in front of the Dome of the Rock ahead of Friday prayer in the al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem's Old City February 9, 2024. (Reuters)

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi has strongly condemned the intrusion of an extremist minister from the Israeli occupation government into Al-Aqsa Mosque.
According to a press release issued by the GCC Secretariat General, Secretary General Albudaiwi stated that the continuation of these illegal practices in the Palestinian territories represents a blatant provocation of the feelings of Muslims around the world and a flagrant violation of the rights of the Palestinian people.
"This reflects the Israeli occupation forces' deliberate disregard for all international laws and humanitarian charters and threatens the security and stability of the region," he pointed out, SPA reported.
Albudaiwi affirmed that encroaching on the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Islamic holy sites and terrorising civilians has become a normal practice for the Israeli occupation government.
He stressed that this government does not respect international laws and regulations, does not believe in human rights, and pursues arrogant and inhumane policies that contradict the fundamental principles of justice and humanitarian values.

"This requires serious, prompt, and effective international action to guarantee the protection of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights."