South Korea’s Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back is set to visit Saudi Arabia this week to participate in a significant defence exhibition and engage in meetings with Saudi counterparts in Riyadh. The visit aims to enhance arms exports from South Korea. Ahn will be part of the five-day trip starting Friday, attending the biennial World Defence Show where about 40 South Korean defence companies will exhibit their products.
During the visit, Ahn plans to have discussions with Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud and Minister of the National Guard Abdullah bin Bandar Al Saud. The focus will be on strengthening bilateral arms cooperation and promoting South Korean arms products, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s efforts to develop its defence industry and modernize its military, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
Accompanying Ahn will be Gen. Son Sug-rag, Air Force chief of staff, who will also participate in the trade show and engage in talks with Saudi Arabian and British counterparts on the sidelines of the event. This trip follows Ahn’s previous visit to Saudi Arabia in September, emphasizing the ongoing discussions on bilateral defence and arms industry cooperation.
South Korea’s strategic goal is to become the world’s fourth-largest arms exporter by 2030, aiming to capture 6% of the global arms market.
