How Prince Mohammed’s recent South Korea visit is reshaping history

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman made an official visit to South Korea on June 26-27 – a first visit by an heir to the throne of the world’s largest oil exporter in more than two decades.

The Crown Prince met the South Korean President Moon Jae-in on June 26, serving as a catalyst for strengthening substantive collaboration between both countries in a range of areas.

“South Korea has made tremendous success in Saudi Arabia. I hope we continue to do the same to further improve the bilateral relationship,” the Crown Prince was quoted by a Blue House spokesperson as saying.

“People of both countries will thrive through cooperation in the sectors of defense and economy.”

On the security level, the South Korean President and Crown Prince also condemned the terror activities harming energy security and regional stability in the Middle East, including this week’s attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Abha airport in southern Saudi Arabia.

Read: Prince Mohammed arrives in South Korea

The Kingdom also unveiled a plan to open a vision realization office in Seoul by the end of Q1 2020 to maintain close ties with organizations from both countries.

Meanwhile during the visit, Saudi Arabia and South Korea signed several memorandums of understandings (MoUs) in the fields including construction, energy, nuclear power, technology and healthcare to name a few.

Argaam takes a look at the comprehensive list of signed deals:

- The Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) signed 15 MoUs with South Korean investors during an investment promotion convention held in Seoul. The deals targeted various strategic sectors including finance, media, manufacturing, construction and petrochemicals and were concluded with firms such as Korea National Enterprise for Clinical Trials, Seoul National University Hospital, Industrial Bank of Korea, Samsung Bioepis, SK Global Chemical, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, and PK Valve Co.

- The Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) signed two MoUs with South Korea's Ministry of Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Science and Information and Communications Technology (MCIT) to strengthen the bonds of joint cooperation and development of economic relations between the two countries.

- Saudi Aramco, Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), and The Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments Company (Dussur) inked a deal to establish a joint venture (JV) for an engine manufacturing and aftersales facility in Saudi Arabia. Under the partnership, Saudi Aramco will own 55 percent of the JV, while HHI and Dussur will own 30 percent and 15 percent respectively.

- Saudi Aramco and HHI also have agreed on a MoU that extends the existing collaboration to develop ship-building, engine manufacturing, refining, and petrochemicals.

-  A MoU was signed between HHI, Bahri, and IMI (JV between Saudi Aramco, HHI, Lamprell, Bahri), covering ship-building, and transportation as potential areas of cooperation.

  Read: Saudi Arabia, South Korea to ink 10 economic cooperation deals

- HHI and IMI signed a MoU to explore business opportunities in the shipbuilding business.

-  Saudi Aramco and Hyundai Oilbank have signed a crude oil sales agreement between the former to supply Arabian crude oil to the latter.

- Aramco Trading Company signed a crude oil agreement to supply non-Arabian crude oil to Hyundai Oilbank. 

- Saudi Aramco and Hyundai Motor Company signed a MoU that will create a strategic collaboration to accelerate the expansion of the hydrogen ecosystem in the Saudi Arabian and South Korean markets, and to explore the use of advanced non-metallic materials in various fields including the automotive industry. 

- Saudi Aramco and Korea National Oil Corporation signed a MoU that will allow the oil giant to explore the potential of crude oil storage in South Korea to complement its marketing and supply activities.

- A MoU was signed with Hyosung Group to build a carbon fiber manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia. This will also provide a collaboration platform for the two companies on research and development, and deployment of carbon fiber technology.

- A MoU was signed between Saudi Aramco and GS Holdings is aimed at identifying specific investment opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

- Saudi Aramco and Daelim Industrial are collaborating on petrochemical projects and signed a new MoU to foster collaboration on value-added chemical products in the Kingdom.

-  Saudi Aramco signed another MoU with Seoul-headquartered S-Oil to collaborate on a $6 billion Steam Cracker & Olefin Downstream project, which is expected to be completed by 2024. The new steam cracker is expected to produce ethylene and other basic chemicals out of naphtha and refinery off-gas.

Write to Paromita Dey at paromita.d@argaamplus.com