All the defense agreements between Saudi Arabia and South Korea
What does the defense cooperation agreement signed by South Korea and Saudi Arabia at the beginning of the month entail
February 4 marked an important moment in international defense relations with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between South Korea and Saudi Arabia.
WHAT THE MEMORANDUM INCLUDES
This agreement, aimed at promoting collaboration in the field of research and development of weapons systems, was announced by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) in Seoul.
The agreement represents an important step forward in consolidating bilateral relations and opening up opportunities for South Korea in a competitive context such as that of the Middle Eastern military market.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE AGREEMENT
The defense ministers of the two countries, Shin Won-sik for South Korea and Khalid bin Salman Al Saud for Saudi Arabia, were present at the signing ceremony, underlining the importance of the agreement. This event coincided with Shin's participation in the 2024 World Defense Show in Riyadh , which provided a prime stage for South Korean defense companies, such as Hanwha, LIG Nex1 and Hyundai Rotem, to showcase their latest weapons technologies.
SEOUL'S STRATEGY
The deal reflects South Korea's aspiration to position itself as one of the world's leaders in arms exports, facilitating potential new sales to the area despite international competition.
According to Reuters , 2022 saw a notable increase in South Korean arms sales, which rose to $17 billion, compared to $7.25 billion the previous year, highlighting in particular a significant increase in exports to the Middle East. Orient.
FOCUS ON MILITARY IMPORTS FROM THE GULF STATES
We must not forget that the Gulf states are trying to diversify their sources of military supply, seeing in Seoul a reliable partner capable of providing advanced technology at advantageous prices and with short delivery times. Previous deals between South Korean companies and Saudi Arabia, worth around $989 million, include supplies of rocket launchers, ammunition and electro-optical systems.
Further boost to the South Korean arms market was given by a significant contract with Poland, worth 13.7 billion dollars, for the supply of K2 tanks and K9 self-propelled howitzers, the largest deal ever made by Seoul in this scope. This agreement not only highlights the growth of South Korea's defense industry but also highlights its growing impact on the global military export market.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/mondo/tutte-le-intese-nella-difesa-tra-arabia-saudita-e-corea-del-sud/ on Sat, 10 Feb 2024 06:03:53 +0000.