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Korean defense cooperation with Saudi Arabia aims for $5 billion in exports
South Korea and Saudi Arabia forge strategic ties in defense sector, eyeing significant export opportunities
Administrator Seok Jong-geon of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and Minister Bin Bandar Al Saud of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense agreed on medium- to long-term defense industry cooperation, increasing the possibilities for Korean defense companies to participate in Saudi Arabia's large-scale power modernization project. The weapons systems that Saudi Arabia is interested in encompass land, sea, and air, leading industry experts to project that the scale of exports to Saudi Arabia could reach $5 billion (approximately 7.168 trillion won).
According to military authorities and industry sources on the 22nd, Administrator Seok and the Korean delegation, consisting of Hanwha Aerospace, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and Hanwha Ocean, met with Khalid bin Hussein Al-Biyari, the Deputy Minister for Defense, who oversees the introduction of weapons systems, starting from the 19th. On the 20th (local time), they met with Minister Al Saud, and the Korean delegation agreed to discuss specific cooperation plans with them by the end of this year.
The discussions with the Minister and Vice Minister of the Saudi Ministry of Defense were shaped by proposals from domestic companies regarding the weapons systems of interest to Saudi Arabia. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration explained that not only sales but also operational maintenance and localization were mentioned during the process. Saudi Arabia is currently promoting the modernization of its ground forces, leading industry experts to predict that local production or technology transfer of domestic ground weapons systems, such as the K9 self-propelled howitzer, could take place.
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Minister Al Saud visited South Korea last November to observe the operational aspects of the K9 self-propelled howitzer and the K30 Biho system. The K30 Biho is a short-range self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon operated by the army. The K30 Biho complex adds the Shingung, which intercepts enemy aircraft infiltrating at low altitudes. Given that Saudi Arabia introduced the ground-to-air missile Cheongung-Ⅱ in November 2023, they may also consider introducing a multilayered air defense system leading to L-SAM.
Saudi Arabia has also shown interest in South Korea's ships and submarines. Although the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and Korean companies have proposed domestic submarine weapons systems in discussions with Saudi counterparts, there has been no notable response. However, Saudi officials, including Navy Commander Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Garibi, who met with the Korean delegation, have reportedly started to take an interest in the proposals from the Korean side. Saudi Arabia has been interested in the Korean fighter KF-21 as well. A Defense Acquisition Program Administration official noted, "This meeting has increased Saudi understanding of Korean naval and air force weapons systems."
Administrator Seok stated, "The Defense Acquisition Program Administration will work with companies as one team to turn this achievement into substantial expansion into Saudi Arabia, and we will leap to become one of the top four global defense powers by 2027."
https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-industry/2025/01/22/KQ27GYT7FZEZ7H65QXZCY7GTQQ/
K2
K9
