S. Korea Keen on Investing in Saudi Mega Projects

Saudi and South Korean officials meet in Riyadh on Sunday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi and South Korean officials meet in Riyadh on Sunday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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S. Korea Keen on Investing in Saudi Mega Projects

Saudi and South Korean officials meet in Riyadh on Sunday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi and South Korean officials meet in Riyadh on Sunday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia and South Korea are seeking to strengthen investment partnerships, develop infrastructure, and exploit modern technologies in several sectors, including transportation, logistics, smart cities, and housing.

A South Korean delegation, comprised of several officials and a group of private investors, is currently visiting the Kingdom.

South Korean companies are planning on taking part in the execution of mega Saudi projects by reviewing their expertise and available services can contribute in achieving Vision 2030.

Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing Majed al-Hogail received South Korean Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong and his accompanying delegation.

They reviewed the relationship between the two countries and boosting the Saudi-South Korean cooperation in smart cities and housing and ways to develop the housing sector.

Hogail underscored South Korea’s interest in learning about the Saudi experience in smart cities and housing, hoping that the visit would achieve the goals of both governments and people in developing in all sectors.

Later, Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh al-Jasser met with Won, his accompanying delegation, and a group of South Korean private investors.

They discussed ways to boost cooperation between their countries in transport and logistics services and several investment partnership opportunities.

The Ministry gave a presentation on the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and the opportunities, initiatives, programs, and major projects that are helping consolidate the Kingdom’s position as a global logistics hub linking three continents.

The meeting also reviewed modern technologies used by the system to upgrade all means of transport and transport services in general.

The Korean delegation reviewed its projects and the stages of development achieved in transportation.

A group of Korean companies gave presentations on their role in engineering and construction, smart building, mobility, smart cities, and information and communication technology.

The meeting sought to enhance cooperation between both countries and discuss ways to consolidate the relationship to help in achieving the objectives of the National Transport Strategy through the development of infrastructure and the application of advanced systems.

It sought to consolidate the effective partnership between the public and private sectors to achieve Vision 2030.

Korean companies are seeking, through their visit to Saudi Arabia, to participate in the implementation of development projects, given the great opportunities in the Kingdom and the mega projects under Vision 2030.



SABIC Expects Capital Expenditure of $4 Bn in 2025

One of the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) plants... (SPA)
One of the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) plants... (SPA)
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SABIC Expects Capital Expenditure of $4 Bn in 2025

One of the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) plants... (SPA)
One of the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) plants... (SPA)

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), one of the world’s largest petrochemical companies, reported a net loss of 1.21 billion riyals ($322.6 million) for the first quarter of 2025, reflecting continued pressure on the global petrochemical sector.

Despite this, the company is maintaining disciplined capital investment management, with capital expenditure expected to range between $3.5 billion and $4 billion in 2025.

The loss was primarily attributed to a 1.05 billion riyal decline in gross profit, driven by rising feedstock prices, along with non-recurring costs of 1.07 billion riyals linked to a strategic restructuring initiative aimed at streamlining annual costs by approximately 345 million riyals and improving long-term operational efficiency.

SABIC CEO Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, speaking at a press conference following the release of the company’s results, highlighted ongoing challenges in the global economy, including a slowdown in global GDP growth.

 

 

“The first quarter business environment was marked by uncertainty, with global economic growth at just 2.97%, along with a slowdown in the manufacturing PMI, which intensified challenges for the sector,” he said.

Despite the losses, Al-Fageeh noted SABIC's remarkable resilience, supported by what he described as “stable demand” for petrochemicals. He emphasized the company’s continued focus on operational excellence and its transformation efforts throughout the year.

SABIC projects its capital expenditure to range between $3.5 billion and $4 billion in 2025, reaffirming its commitment to creating long-term value through operational excellence, transformation, and systematic growth as part of its future vision.

Mohammed Al-Farraj, Head of Asset Management at Arbah Capital, commented to Asharq Al-Awsat that initial forecasts from various research firms prior to the results announcement were mixed. While some expected a significant year-on-year drop in net profit, others predicted revenue growth.

“Looking at the reported results, we see that revenue aligned with expectations, indicating slight year-on-year growth, while the reported net loss was smaller than some estimates, which had anticipated larger losses,” Al-Farraj said.

“However, the results still fall short of profits from the same period last year. It is important to consider the impact of one-time restructuring costs when making comparisons,” he explained.