During his visit to Seoul, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistic Services, Saleh Al-Jasser, met with the Korean Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Cho Seung-hwan. During the meeting, they discussed measures to increase bilateral cooperation in the fields of maritime transport and ports. Following the meeting, Al-Jasser and the Korean minister signed a memorandum of understanding for mutual recognition of seafarers’ certificates of competency from both countries. The agreement intends to improve the flow of commercial processes for seafarers between Saudi Arabia and Korea.
The two countries’ agreement is likely to help seafarers and the marine industry in both countries. It will help decrease expenses and save time by facilitating the movement of seafarers between the two nations. This agreement is expected to lead to increased cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Korea in the future, as well as further growth of both nations’ maritime industries.
This move is part of a broader effort by Saudi Arabia to improve its logistics and transportation infrastructure as it seeks to diversify its economy away from oil. By improving its ports and transportation systems, Saudi Arabia hopes to attract more foreign investment and increase its competitiveness in the global market.
Relations between the two G20 members have gone a long way since 1962 when Saudi Arabia established formal connections with the Republic of South Korea under King Saud bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Park Chung-hee’s presidency. South Korea established an embassy in Saudi Arabia in 1973, while the Kingdom established a diplomatic mission in Seoul the following year.
When the Saudi Crown Prince met then-South Korean President Park Geun-hye on the margins of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Hangzhou, China, the relationship took on a strategic dimension. The two leaders agreed on the importance of reactivating the work of the Saudi-Korean Joint Committee in order to strengthen collaboration in numerous fields and stimulate deeper commercial partnerships. The committee was formed over 40 years ago to strengthen relationships and mutual interests.
The Saudi-Korean Vision 2030 was established in 2017 with the formation of a joint committee of members from various government agencies to examine cooperation, authorize projects, and implement plans.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is a social reform and economic diversification strategy that was introduced in 2016 to help wean the Kingdom’s economy off hydrocarbons and to encourage youth and women’s engagement in new industries ranging from leisure and tourism to renewable energy. South Korea is one of eight countries collaborating with the Kingdom to help accomplish Vision 2030 goals through 40 joint projects and initiatives.
