Ahn Gyubaek Holds Talks with Saudi National Guard Minister on Defense Industry Cooperation

Meeting Held with SMEs Participating in the WDS

Ahn Gyubaek, Minister of National Defense, discussed ways to expand defense industry cooperation with Abdullah Bin Bandar Al Saud, Saudi Minister of National Guard, during a meeting on the 9th (local time). Provided by the Ministry of National Defense.

On the 9th (local time), Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyubaek, who is visiting Saudi Arabia, discussed ways to expand defense industry cooperation during a meeting with Abdullah bin Bandar Al Saud, Saudi Minister of National Guard. This was their second meeting following last year, arranged on the occasion of Minister Ahn’s visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend the World Defense Show (WDS).

According to the Ministry of National Defense, Minister Ahn told Minister Al Saud that "an even stronger partnership is being built between the two countries, and we should continue to develop mutually beneficial cooperation in defense and the defense industry." In response, Minister Abdullah proposed strengthening defense cooperation in a wide range of areas, including personnel exchanges, military education, and medical services, and also expanding cooperation in the defense industry sector.

On the same day, Minister Ahn also held a meeting with small and medium-sized enterprises participating in the WDS. Company representatives requested active government support to expand defense exports, assistance for small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to enter overseas markets, and institutional improvements to promote exports. In response, the Ministry of National Defense pledged to strengthen government-level promotion of K-defense, prepare national support measures to help small and medium-sized enterprises expand their access to export markets, and implement expedited export licensing procedures.

Minister Ahn stated, "As a result of our defense small and medium-sized enterprises accumulating technology in the field and consistently maintaining quality, K-weapon systems are spreading across the five oceans and six continents, rewriting the history of the Republic of Korea’s defense industry," adding, "To ensure that these achievements lead to sustained growth, we will build a defense industry ecosystem in which small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations can grow together in a mutually beneficial way, and we will continue to pursue policies and support measures that can be tangibly felt in the field."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.