RIYADH: Boosting cooperation on food and drug safety was among the key issues when officials from Saudi Arabia and South Korea met in Seoul. Saudi Food and Drug Authority CEO Hisham Al-Jadhey met Minister of Food and Drug Safety Dr. Oh Yu-kyoung on the sidelines of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities Summit in the Korean capital, the SFDA said on Thursday. The pair reviewed a memorandum of understanding signed in 2023 which aims to enhance collaboration and improve standards of quality and safety in the fields of food, pharmaceuticals and medical products. They also discussed opportunities to strengthen their partnership, particularly regarding the joint scientific evaluation of drugs and the exchange of expertise and best practices in food monitoring and traceability.The discussions also covered opportunities for cooperation in managing foodborne illness risks. Both sides reviewed their respective approaches for preventing and reducing the incidence of such illnesses and discussed mechanisms for sharing expertise to enhance oversight effectiveness. The meeting was attended by South Korean experts in foodborne diseases and representatives from the SFDA and Saudi Halal Center. Earlier Al-Jadhey held a roundtable meeting with executives and representatives of leading South Korean companies to discuss cooperation in biotechnology and advanced therapies. He highlighted the authority’s efforts to advance its regulatory framework in line with scientific and technological developments, accelerate treatment registration and facilitate patient access while ensuring quality, efficacy and safety. Al-Jadhey said that the National Biotechnology Strategy supported Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become a global hub for biotechnology, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.  The efforts aim to support biotechnology innovation and strengthen communication between the Saudi authority and South Korean companies on regulatory requirements and pathways for registering advanced therapies.The SFDA chief also held meetings with the heads of regulatory authorities from Egypt, Portugal, the UK, Singapore and Japan on the sidelines of the summit.