Yoon Suk Yeol, the president of South Korea, will travel to Saudi Arabia and Qatar on official business from October 21 to October 26. While there, he will talk about commercial partnerships and security situations relating to the Israeli-Palestinian issue, Yoon’s office stated on Thursday.
According to Yoon’s deputy national security advisor, Kim Tae-hyo, South Korea is deeply concerned about the rapid rise in civilian casualties resulting from the fighting. It would offer assistance only based on humanitarian considerations. According to Kim, Yoon will also talk about collaboration with Saudi Arabia and Qatar to promote regional peace and enhance South Korea’s national security.
Yoon will meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday and attend a luncheon after arriving in Riyadh on Saturday for the first state visit by a South Korean leader, Kim said.
The summit takes place less than a year after the crown prince visited South Korea and discussed collaboration in energy, defense, and infrastructure development, concluding investment agreements totaling $30 billion with Korean businesses.
While competing with Saudi Arabia to host the World Expo in 2030, South Korea’s corporations are also battling for contracts in the defense industry and participation in large-scale projects like Saudi Arabia’s NEOM smart city.
Yoon will participate in activities emphasizing the rising importance of the two nations’ economic connection by highlighting bilateral investment and engagement in emerging technologies. He will speak at the Future Investment Initiative event on Tuesday.
Yoon will go to Saudi Arabia with a team of corporate executives, including Jay Y. Lee, the executive chairman of Samsung Electronics, E.S. Chung, the chairman of Hyundai Motor, and the CEOs of the Hanwha, GS, and HD Hyundai companies, according to Yoon’s office.
Yoon will attend a business event after holding a summit meeting with the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Qatar on Wednesday.
