Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Lt. General Fayyad bin Hamid Al-Ruwaili attended the opening ceremony of the 2021 Seoul International Aerospace Defense Exhibition (Seoul ADEX), which was inaugurated by South Korean President Moon Jae-in in the presence of several officials and military leaderships of friendly countries.
Lt. General Al-Ruwaili checked on the latest products of defense companies and the latest cybersecurity systems and showcased items, such as drones, virtual reality training systems, laser weapon systems, multi-purpose vehicles and several military airplanes, advanced interceptor missiles and ground weapons.
He also praised the high level of organization and showcased airplanes and technological items, and exchanged talks with exhibitors on the importance of the event on the world map of defense exhibitions, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
On the sidelines of the exhibitions, Lt. General Al-Ruwaili held two separate meetings with South Korean Minister of National Defense Suh Wook and Chairman of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff Won In-choul over issues of mutual concern and means to enhance cooperation in military and defense fields.
Seoul ADEX, held at Seoul Airport on 19-22 October, brings together around 50,000 attendees and 400 air defense companies from 30 countries, and is one of the most renowned defense shows in Asia.
The Saudi Chief of the General Staff, General chaired the Defense Ministry delegation participating in the meeting of the Saudi-Korean Ministerial Committee for Defense Cooperation at the Ministry of Defense in South Korea, in the presence of the committee member, the President of the General Military Industries Corporation, Eng. Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Madhy.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed relations and cooperation between the defense ministries in the two countries and ways to enhance them to serve common interests, especially in the military and defense fields.
The meeting was attended by a number of senior officers and officials from both sides.
Meanwhile, the General Authority of Military Industries (GAMI), Saudi Arabia’s defense industry regulator, enabler, and licensor, also hosted a workshop with Korean investors on the sidelines of the 2021 Seoul International Aerospace Defense Exhibition (Seoul ADEX).
The event, titled ‘Flourishing Opportunities in Saudi Arabia’s Defense Sector’, included representatives from GAMI, Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) and the Ministry of Investment Saudi Arabia (MISA). The Saudi participants met more than 40 Korean companies at the workshop, including representatives from the Korean defense, logistics, technology, and industrial sectors.
Key areas of discussion included details on Saudi Arabia’s current defense industry ecosystem, the National Defense Industry Strategy, and the wide variety of channels through which investors can access supply chain opportunities in the sector, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
Welcoming investors at the workshop, GAMI’s Governor Eng. Ahmad Al-Ohali, said: “We are excited to meet with our Korean business partners as we explore the huge investment opportunities within Saudi Arabia’s expanding defense industry.” He continued, “The Kingdom is establishing strategic partnerships with companies from all over the world. In less than 2 years, around 100 companies have successfully obtained licenses to operate in the Kingdom’s defense sector.”
