Saudi Arabia’s National Day fuels synergy through ties with Korea

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia lights up Riyadh's Kingdom Center with a shining green flame as fireworks burst across the city skies on Sept. 23 as the country commemorates its 96th anniversary with National Day.

This year’s slogan, “Our Pride Lies in Our Nature,” unveils the Saudi identity through a message of courage, value, authenticity, determination, generosity, and hospitality, reflecting a rich tapestry of values and deep-rooted traditions. The Kingdom’s achievements were not built overnight; they continue a deep-seated legacy embedded in its society.

Harking back to the 1932 royal decree when the founding king, His Majesty King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud — may his soul rest in peace — proclaimed the country unified, forging Najd and Hejaz into the sovereign Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Its rich historical legacy is bridged with bold, future-oriented progress spearheaded by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, anchoring a sweeping modernization agenda rooted in the divine will of Allah.

Guided by the Saudi Vision 2030 road map launched in 2016, the Kingdom has undergone profound economic and cultural transformations, cementing its global leadership across technology, energy, tourism and sports. This momentum is reflected across landmark initiatives such as Qiddiya City is shaping the future of global entertainment, sports and culture; Roshn Group — backed by the country’s Public Investment Fund — is driving real estate development to elevate national homeownership; Misk City stands as the world’s first human-centric, youth-focused nonprofit city empowering the next generation of creators; the Saudi Genome Program is a pioneering health initiative leveraging advanced genomics to prevent genetic diseases; and Red Sea is a breathtaking 28,000-square-kilometer (7-million-acre) coastal sanctuary boasting pristine islands.

Together, all of this progress indicates the kingdom is building upon its rapid expansion in technology, artificial intelligence, energy, tourism, culture, and sports. Beyond its economic growth, improvements in infrastructure development and living standards have worked to cultivate Saudi talent, placing citizens at the forefront of the nation's future. Leveraging its global standing on the international stage, the Kingdom continues to bolster international partnerships and dialogue to address global challenges, championing stability, security and shared prosperity worldwide 

Against this backdrop, Saudi Arabia's partnership with Korea stands as a pinnacle of joint enterprise, followed by a bilateral strategic partnership centered on strengthening economic, trade and investment ties, as well as collaboration in energy, advanced technologies, AI and digital infrastructure. Rooted in decades of unwavering solidarity and shared visions for the future, this dynamic bond has evolved into an unbreakable alliance that continuously redefines bilateral excellence. In June, the Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding pledging to cooperate in the oil and gas sectors, including petroleum products, refining and petrochemicals. The pioneering Shaheen Project, a 9.25 trillion KRW ($7 billion) investment by Saudi Aramco and S-Oil in the world’s largest refining and steam cracker project, presents a robust technology and energy alliance between the two nations.

This industrial synergy is further complemented by strategic ventures such as the Korea Electric Power Corporation’s partnership with Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power on large-scale combined-cycle gas turbine power plant construction and production projects.

Beyond heavy industry, bilateral cooperation has expanded into consumer sectors. Fueled by the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Korea, Fahad Barakah, at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Korea, the commitment to continuously advancing bilateral relations and the enduring friendship between Saudi Arabia and Korea has been reaffirmed. Signaling a major leap toward deeper localization across the Middle East, the blueprint aims to shift from simple product import and distribution to localized production, research and development, and joint ventures in K-beauty.

This year’s National Day transcends a mere annual commemoration beyond a tribute to the foundation of the Saudi Kingdom, instilling a sense of belonging and investment in a better, shared future. Building on its unity, under the slogan “Our Pride Lies in Our Nature,” whole world is invited to engage in dialogue and maintain stability and progress across nations, jointly molding the sociocultural fabric of contemporary states and deepening the interconnected web of diplomatic relations between all nations to bring shared prosperity rooted in mutual respect and understanding across countries and societies.

BY LEE SO-YOUN [[email protected]]