RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and South Korea have identified 40 joint projects as part of their joint collaboration within the framework of Saudi Vision 2030. “The two countries have also launched a joint panel to pursue the implementation of the projects as Vision 2030 spurs exciting opportunities in several sectors,” said Dr. Kwon Pyung-oh, South Korean ambassador, here on Sunday.
Kwon said: “Riyadh and Seoul are rapidly expanding cooperation in diverse sectors, and most of these areas directly touch upon the daily lives of the Saudi people. They are also central to the Saudi government’s job-creation initiatives.” He said an exclusive Saudi-Korea Vision 2030 committee with the goal of institutionalizing the economic partnership has been formed and serves as a one-stop shop to manage and oversee progress.
He said the two sides have identified the projects across the five key sectors, namely “energy and manufacturing, smart infrastructure and digitalization, capacity building, health care and life sciences, as well as SMEs and Investment.”
He pointed out that “our two countries have made substantial headway across 16 cooperation projects over the past five months.” To this end, Kwon recalled the strong bonds of friendship between the countries that stretch back more than five decades. “In the 1970s and 80s, Korea played a key part in the development of infrastructure in Saudi Arabia,” said the envoy.
The diplomat pointed out that Saudi Arabia is Korea’s sixth largest source of imports and a primary energy provider. Korea is the Kingdom’s fifth largest export market, said Kwon, who will shortly be leaving the Kingdom on completion of his tenure. On his return to Seoul, he will join the state-owned Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) as its chief executive officer and president.
Asked about Korea’s bid to build large-size nuclear power plants in Saudi Arabia, he said: “KEPCO (Korea Electricity Power Co.) has already submitted a proposal to the Saudi government to participate in the National Project for Atomic Energy which is expected to transform Saudi Arabia’s energy industry.” He said Korea had earned “a reputation for building world-class nuclear reactors – on time and within budget over the last 40 years.”
“KEPCO is the world’s first and only contractor with experience of building a nuclear reactor in a desert environment and climate very similar to that of Saudi Arabia – at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the UAE.”
KOTRA, which he will join immediately after his return from the Kingdom, maintains an extensive global business network comprising 127 overseas offices across 86 countries, including Saudi Arabia. KOTRA opened its office in the Kingdom in 1973, which has served as a linchpin of Saudi-Korean business ties for the past 45 years.
Saudi Arabia, Korea identify 40 joint projects within framework of Vision 2030
Saudi Arabia, Korea identify 40 joint projects within framework of Vision 2030
14 sculptures go on display at public spaces in Riyadh
- The works were chosen by Riyadh Art from its international Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium to reflect its ‘vision of weaving beauty and intellect into the city’s fabric’
- Initiative aligns with efforts to make art a key part of city’s identity that improves quality of life and promotes the cultural economy, says Royal Commission for Riyadh City’s Khalid Al-Hazani
RIYADH: Fourteen sculptures selected from the annual international Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium, a Riyadh Art program, went on display on Wednesday at three prominent public spaces across the Saudi capital: ROSHN Front, the SEDRA residential community, and Sports Boulevard.
The project is part of Riyad Art’s efforts to showcase artworks in public spaces, and the addition of more works in other places is expected later.
Khalid Al-Hazani, the executive vice president of the lifestyle sector at the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, said: “This step reflects (Riyadh Art’s) vision of weaving beauty and intellect into the city’s fabric, and creating vibrant and culturally rich public spaces, allowing art to become an integral part of people’s daily lives.”
It is also in line with Riyadh Art’s broader strategy for transforming the city into an open-air art gallery, he added, thereby “turning art into a central element of the city’s identity and a key contributor to improving quality of life and promoting the cultural economy.”
The three chosen locations were considered perfect places to host the artworks because of their vibrancy, strong community connections and accessibility, Al-Hazani noted.
“This provides residents and visitors with the opportunity to engage with the sculptures in their everyday lives,” he said.
Seven of the sculptures have been installed at ROSHN Front, considered a key urban hub. The artworks on display there form a thought-provoking artistic landscape that encourages interaction, organizers said, and explores a number of themes including the values of urban transformation, community spirit, and creative curiosity.
Three sculptures are on display at the SEDRA residential community. Chosen to complement its serene character and nature-integrated urban planning, they blend in with their surroundings to reflect the values of environmental harmony, contemplation and renewal, organizers explained.
The remaining four sculptures are at Sports Boulevard, known for its open, green spaces. These works reflect several concepts, in particular ideas of nature, balance and public health.
All of the sculptures are part of Riyadh Art’s permanent collection, which includes works created by local and international artists during the Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium.
