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Seoul, Riyadh Seek Cooperation in Startups, Biotechnology

Lee Young, South Korean Minister of SMEs and Startups - Hyunghwan Joo, former South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Lee Young, South Korean Minister of SMEs and Startups - Hyunghwan Joo, former South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Seoul, Riyadh Seek Cooperation in Startups, Biotechnology

Lee Young, South Korean Minister of SMEs and Startups - Hyunghwan Joo, former South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Lee Young, South Korean Minister of SMEs and Startups - Hyunghwan Joo, former South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia and South Korea are working to develop a comprehensive strategic cooperation, especially in the field of petrochemicals, energy supply chains, and the exchange of expertise and technological industries, with Seoul expressing interest in more vital partnerships that would also cover biotechnology industries and startups.

Lee Young, South Korean Minister of SMEs and Startups, said that the two countries have started a new era of cooperation in the field of developing SMEs and startups and exchanging expertise.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, she noted that while the prosperity of the Middle East in the 1970s focused on construction, petrochemicals and factories, the next boom in the region would be based on new technologies such as Deep Tech.

“In the first half of the year, we will work to promote regulatory projects that depend on the speed of performance and implementation in foreign relations, such as dispatching trade delegations and helping small and medium-sized companies and startups, which are facing problems due to the complex crisis, to open export routes,” Young said.

The South Korean minister revealed that work was underway to transform 20 Korean SMEs operating in 12 countries into global business centers to serve as a major base for expansion abroad.

For his part, Hyunghwan Joo, former South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, told Asharq Al-Awsat that Korean companies were looking for opportunities for cooperation with Saudi Arabia.

Joo added that Saudi Arabia was able to establish a system based on ecosystem technology, pointing to the importance of the great efforts made by the health authorities in the Kingdom to promote biological, medical and health technology.

He also expressed his country’s interest to push joint cooperation forward in the field of vaccine manufacturing.

The former minister emphasized Saudi Arabia’s interest in health care and its efforts to maximize cooperation for the production of vaccines, as well as partnerships in the field of biological industries, research and related technologies.

He added that the Kingdom, by benefiting from the expertise of Korean companies, was expected to contribute strongly to filling the region’s need for vaccines and biological health-related products in the coming years.”

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US Tariff Exemptions Boost iPhone Sales in Saudi Arabia

Customers at a smartphone store in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Customers at a smartphone store in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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US Tariff Exemptions Boost iPhone Sales in Saudi Arabia

Customers at a smartphone store in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Customers at a smartphone store in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Smartphone sales in Saudi Arabia have surged in recent weeks, driven largely by temporary US tariff exemptions on imported electronics, including Apple iPhones, manufactured partially in China and India.

The decision, introduced by the administration of President Donald Trump, has led to increased consumer demand, particularly for high-end models, amid concerns that tariffs could be reinstated soon.

Retailers across the Kingdom have reported higher footfall and an uptick in purchases, particularly of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 Pro models. This shift comes at a time when financing options and promotional offers are flooding the market. Consumers are accelerating their buying decisions, seeking to avoid future price increases that could result from renewed trade restrictions.

According to Canalys, Apple captured 23 percent of global smartphone market share in the last quarter of 2024, with the iPhone 15 leading global sales.

In Saudi Arabia, demand for smartphones is projected to remain strong, with market size expected to reach $2.3 billion (SAR 8.6 billion) by 2025, supported by sustained interest in premium devices and a growing tech-savvy population.

Retailers in Riyadh, one of the country’s key commercial hubs, have reported robust activity. Ibrahim Al-Mutairi, a smartphone dealer, told Asharq Al-Awsat that iPhone sales, especially for previous-generation models, have been climbing steadily.

He noted anticipation is already building for the release of the next iPhone model, expected in September.

Consumers, too, are responding quickly. “The online discounts are better than usual, and I wanted to buy now before any price increase,” said one customer. Zero-interest installment plans offered by many retailers have further encouraged purchases, expanding access across a wider customer base.

Economist Dr. Salem Baajajah of King Abdulaziz University told Asharq Al-Awsat that the tariff exemptions have contributed directly to stronger sales. He noted that while the decision is temporary, it has helped stabilize pricing in the short term.

Baajajah also emphasized India’s rising prominence in the global smartphone supply chain.

Apple has been gradually shifting a portion of its production to India as part of a broader strategy to diversify manufacturing beyond China. Foxconn, one of Apple’s key suppliers, assembled iPhones worth $22 billion in India during the last fiscal year, representing about 10 percent of Apple’s global output.

Despite the temporary nature of the tariff relief, the broader impact on the Saudi market has been significant.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Jassar, a member of the Saudi Economic Association, described the trend as an example of rational consumer behavior.

“People are anticipating future price increases, and they’re acting accordingly,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat, adding that Saudi consumers are demonstrating growing economic awareness.

With more than 91 percent of the population using smartphones, Saudi Arabia continues to represent a major market for global tech companies. Al-Jassar emphasized that diversifying supply sources and promoting local manufacturing could help shield the market from external trade shocks.