South Korea, Saudi Arabia deepen ties in shipbuilding, automobiles, AI under Vision 2030

SEOUL, October 27 (AJP) - South Korea and Saudi Arabia agreed on Monday to expand cooperation across a range of industries — including shipbuilding, automobiles, and artificial intelligence — as the two nations seek to strengthen ties aligned with Riyadh’s Vision 2030 initiative.

Moon Shin-hak, South Korea’s deputy minister of trade, industry and energy, met with Abdullah bin Ali Al-Ahmari, Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister of industry and mineral resources, in Seoul to discuss joint projects and support for South Korean companies operating in the kingdom.

The talks followed the fifth Korea-Saudi Vision 2030 Committee meeting held in September, where the two sides reviewed progress on flagship cooperation projects. During Monday’s meeting, Moon highlighted South Korean companies’ role in advancing Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals — particularly in industrial diversification and technology development — and called for continued support from the Saudi government.

Both countries agreed to strengthen collaboration on major industrial projects, including the International Maritime Industries (IMI) shipyard in the King Salman Maritime Complex and Hyundai Motor’s assembly plant in King Abdullah City. They also discussed advancing eco-friendly ship technologies and developing hydrogen infrastructure for next-generation vehicles.

Moon proposed expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure, including semiconductor development, data centers, and smart manufacturing systems. He also suggested joint initiatives in emerging fields such as digital twins, cloud computing, and robotics.

Al-Ahmari welcomed the proposals, saying Riyadh viewed South Korea as a key partner in building high-tech industries and sustainable manufacturing capacity.

* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.