JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia and South Korea have jointly invested more than SR487 million ($129.8 million) in developing and designing compact-sized nuclear plants.
The aim of investing in the SMART (System-Integrated Modular Advanced Reactor Technology) nuclear plants is to diversify energy sources.
The pre-project engineering to build two units of SMART will be completed in November this year, the South Korean Ambassador Byung Wook Jo said.
Jo said that the Kingdom and Korea are poised for a rapid advance in bilateral relations with strong economic, cultural, commercial and strategic links.
“Saudi Arabia and Korea have maintained cordial relations and a remarkable friendship for more than half a century. Korea has played a key role in the development of infrastructure of the Kingdom, while Riyadh has been the main energy provider to us,” he said.
He said pre-project engineering for the nuclear plants is a joint process between Korean and Saudi engineers at the KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) in South Korea. “As a part of an existing memorandum of understanding, KAERI invited Saudi engineers and experts to join its team in the Korean city of Daejon, where 48 Saudi engineers are working with Korean experts,” Jo said.
Trade between the two countries totaled $21.3 billion in 2016 and $24.7 billion in 2017. “This trade volume has been increasing steadily over the past years and reached a total of $14.8 billion for the first half of 2018, which is 19.3 percent increase compared with that of the same period in 2017,” he said.
Jo said that a Korean mega cultural exhibition will be organized in Riyadh to acquaint Saudis with Korean culture, history and heritage. The exhibition will be officially inaugurated on Dec. 27 and will run until March 15 next year.
KSA, South Korea invest SR487m in nuclear projects to diversify energy
KSA, South Korea invest SR487m in nuclear projects to diversify energy
- Jo said that a Korean mega cultural exhibition will be organized in Riyadh to acquaint Saudis with Korean culture, history and heritage
Saudi Film Festival to return in April with focus on Korean cinema
- Ahmed Al-Mulla, founder and director of the Saudi Film Festival, said in a statement: “We’re excited to welcome filmmakers to our annual gathering. Our doors are open to all creators, and filmmakers remain at the heart of everything we do
DHAHRAN: The Saudi Film Festival, organized by the Cinema Association in partnership with the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture and supported by the Saudi Film Commission, has announced that it will launch at Ithra in Dhahran between April 23-29.
This year’s festival explores the theme of “Cinema of the Journey,” presenting a selection of Arab and international films, both short and feature-length, that center on journeys and movement as essential storytelling elements.
The program includes road movies, travel narratives and films where physical or emotional journeys drive the narrative.
The theme encourages Saudi filmmakers to explore this subject through their own perspectives. It positions cinema itself as an act of continuous transition, where identity, place, and time converge to shape the human experience.
FASTFACTS
• This year’s Saudi Film Festival will explore the theme of ‘Cinema of the Journey,’ presenting a selection of Arab and international films that center on journeys and movement as essential storytelling elements.
• The program includes road movies, travel narratives and films where physical or emotional journeys drive the narrative.
Following last year’s focus on Japanese cinema, the festival will present a special “Spotlight on Korean Cinema” this year.
Ahmed Al-Mulla, founder and director of the Saudi Film Festival, said in a statement: “We’re excited to welcome filmmakers to our annual gathering. Our doors are open to all creators, and filmmakers remain at the heart of everything we do. This year’s festival creates an atmosphere filled with inspiration, idea exchange, and shared learning. It’s a celebration of cinematic creativity for everyone.”
Tariq Al-Khawaji, deputy director of the festival, added: “At Ithra, we’re proud of our longstanding partnership with the Cinema Association. It has enabled the festival’s growth and thematic diversity year after year, which we see clearly in how we empower filmmakers and create opportunities to engage with global cinema.
“The festival continues to grow across all areas, from preparations and participation to industry expectations locally and regionally. That makes attention to every detail essential.”
Since its launch in 2008, the Saudi Film Festival has played a central role in nurturing local and Gulf cinema. After intermittent early editions, it has now established itself as an annual platform for narrative and documentary competitions, industry programs and project markets.
By bringing together emerging and established filmmakers in Dhahran each year, the festival strengthens Saudi Arabia’s growing presence on the global film stage.
