Saudi crown prince visits S. Korea's weapons development agency

[The SC]

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SEOUL, June 27 (Yonhap) -- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia visited South Korea's weapons development agency on Thursday and voiced hopes of building a similar entity in his country, a source has said.

Prince Mohammed, who also serves as deputy prime minister and minister of defense, is in Seoul for a two-day visit that began Wednesday.

During the visit to the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) in South Korea's central city of Daejeon, the prince was briefed on the overall status of the agency and looked around major facilities, including armament research and testing labs, according to the source

"Saudi Arabia appears to be mulling establishing an agency for weapons research and development similar to the ADD," the source said, adding the Middle Eastern country holds a good impression of South Korea in its development of self-defense capabilities and has a strong will to follow suit

The Saudi prince also viewed South Korea's major indigenous weapons that were on display, such as self-propelled K9 howitzers, K2 battle tanks and Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers, the source noted

Established in 1970 to establish self-reliant national defense, the ADD has been at the center of developing the country's key military technologies and weapons portfolios

Saudi Arabia is South Korea's biggest trading partner in the Middle East and the No. 1 crude oil exporter to Asia's fourth-largest economy.


https://m-en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20190627009700325?section=national/defense