| President Park Geun-hye, second from right, claps hands with Park Yong-maan, right, chairman of Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and other participants during the Korea-Saudi Arabia Business Forum at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, Wednesday. / Yonhap |
Two nations agree to boost cooperation in ICT, energy and healthcare
By Lee Hyo-sik
Korea organized its largest-ever business forum in Saudi Arabia Wednesday, attracting 400 CEOs and government officials from both countries.
Korean and Saudi business leaders met and discussed ways to boost cooperation in the construction, information technology, energy and healthcare sectors.
President Park Geun-hye also attended the gathering, stressing the importance of furthering business partnerships between the two nations.
In cooperation with the Council of Saudi Chambers, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) held the "Korea-Saudi Business Forum" at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh Wednesday.
The KCCI will hold two more forums in Abu Dhabi on Thursday and in Doha on Sunday.
Some of the high-profile Korean CEOs attending Wednesday's meeting included KCCI Chairman Park Yong-maan, who is also Doosan Group chairman, POSCO Chairman Kwon Oh-joon and Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun.
In addition, dozens of CEOs of companies affiliated with Samsung Group, Hyundai Motor Group, LG Group and other conglomerates were present.
Foreign Minister Yoon Byung-se and other ministers also attended the gathering.
In an opening speech, KCCI Chairman Park said Korea is an ideal economic partner for Saudi Arabia. "Korean construction firms played a crucial role in Saudi's infrastructure development and earned hard currency in the 1970s. This helped make the ‘Miracle on the Han River' possible. We Koreans are always grateful for Saudi's warm friendship and hospitality."
Park said Korea and Saudi can complement each other, stressing that the two are perfect partners. Korea has strong manufacturing industries, but has to spend tens of billions of dollars each year to import crude oil. Saudi Arabia is the world's largest oil exporter, but lacks in manufacturing base.
"Saudi Arabia has been pushing to diversify its industrial structure and nurture manufacturing industries," the chairman said. "Korean companies can share their development knowhow and advanced technological expertise with their Saudi counterparts. Korea can play a significant role in Saudi Arabia."
He said President Park's visit to the Middle Eastern nation will help build a future-oriented, constructive partnership between the two.
In response, Abdul Rahman Al-Jamil, chairman of the Council of Saudi Chambers, said the two nations should foster cooperation in information technology, healthcare, energy and other sectors. "Korea and Saudi Arabia have been working together mainly in the construction industry. The partnership should expand to other areas."
The chairman said the Saudi government has been building a manufacturing complex to nurture the automobile, steel and electronics industries. "We are also investing heavily in the fields of healthcare and information technology. Both Korea and Saudi Arabia must work together in various industries and do business together."
Companies sign business deals in Saudi Arabia
Hyosung Goodsprings signed an agreement with Saudi Services for Electro-Mechanic Works Wednesday to supply high-voltage transformers, generators, pumps and other parts used in power plants worth $545 million.
The Hyosung Group affiliate, specializing in the manufacture of pumps and other parts used in petrochemical plants and nuclear power plants, is expected to sign more supply contracts if Korea wins orders from Saudi to construct nuclear power plants.
On Tuesday, Korea signed a contract to build two 100,000-kilowatt nuclear reactors in Saudi Arabia, which plans to build a total of 18 nuclear reactors by 2040.
The Korea Electric Power Corp. also struck a deal with its Saudi counterpart, Saudi Electricity Company, to boost cooperation in the fields of nuclear power and electricity generation.
The two agreed to work together in the areas of power generation, renewable energy, power transmission, research and development and human resources training.
Korea Export-Import Bank also signed an agreement with the Saudi Electricity Company to extend $3 billion in financing to Korean companies involved in the latter's power plant construction projects.
SK Telecom signed a tentative agreement with Saudi Telecom to build the Creative Economy Innovation Center in Riyadh.
Korean Language
朴대통령, 한·사우디 경협다각화 제안
중동 4개국을 순방 중인 박근혜 대통령은 4일 오전(한국시간) 사우디아라비아에서 열린 한-사우디 비즈니스 포럼에 참석, 양국 경제협력 관계를 서비스산업과 공동투자 등으로 다각화할 것을 제안했다.
박 대통령은 축사를 통해 ▲한국형 중소형 원자로인 스마트(SMART), 태양광 등 신(新) 에너지원 협력 확대 ▲사우디의 보건의료, 교육 등 서비스 수요 급증에 대응한 상호협력 증진 ▲사우디 국부펀드인 퍼블릭인베스트먼트펀드(PIF), 킹덤홀딩스사(KHC)와의 협력을 통한 양국간 공동투자 사업 발굴과 중동, 아프리카 등 신시장 공동진출 등을 제안했다.
또한 이번 포럼에선 해수담수 공동기술 연구 양해각서(MOU)가 체결됐다. 두산중공업과 사우디 해수담수청이 체결한 이 MOU는 중동에서 빠르게 성장하는 역삼투식 해수담수화 공정을 최적화함으로써 현지특성에 적합한 저비용·고효율 담수화 기술개발을 목표로 하고 있다.
포스코와 사우디 PIF는 사회간접자본, 자동차 공동사업 추진과 관련, 합작회사 설립을 위한 협력약정을 체결했다. 사우디 정부는 자동차 산업을 통해 산업다각화 및 고용창출을 이뤄낸다는 목표 아래 숙원사업으로 '독자자동차 모델개발 프로젝트'(SNAM)를 추진 중이다.
이어 이날 오후 코트라 주관으로 열리는 1대1 상담회에는 우리 기업 21개사와 사우디의 60개 기업이 참여해 72건의 비즈니스 상담을 진행할 예정이다.
청와대는 '상담회에선 도시관제시스템, 화상회의시스템, LED 조명 분야의 수출상담과 사우디전력공사(SEC)와 우리 전력기자재업체간 협력업체 등록협의 등이 진행된다'며 '모두 9건, 1천400만 달러 규모의 실질성과 창출이 기대된다'고 말했다. (연합뉴스)