Source: Hong Kong 01

Author: Luo Baoxi

Just as Israel's ground operation on Gasha marks the "second stage" of the war with the Harmaus of the Palestinian armed group, which has led to further heating the situation in the Middle East.South Korea ignored the potential instability of the local area, strengthened business and economic connections with the region, and signed a series of agreements such as electric vehicle manufacturing, digital development, energy, infrastructure, and shipbuilding.Find new opportunities.

Following the visit to the UAE in January this year, South Korean President Yin Xiyue visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar last week.On the 22nd of this month, Yin Xiyue and Saudi King Mohammed Bin Salman jointly announced that the two countries have signed 51 economic and trade agreements, with a scale of $ 15.6 billion (about S $ 21.3 billion); plus Muhammad visited South Korea last November last year last yearThe overall scale of US $ 29 billion in economic and trade agreements has reached 44.6 billion US dollars (about S $ 60.9 billion).

As for Qatar, South Korea Shipbuilding Offshore Engineering also won 17 LNG natural gas (LNG (LNG), a state -owned enterprise Qatar Energy worth $ 3.9 billion (about S $ 5.3 billion).) The order of transport ships, the largest single transaction in the history of the Korean shipbuilding industry.

South Korea and Saudi Arabia have a wide range of economic and trade cooperation, covering electric vehicles, communications, digital construction, smart farms, energy, etc.Among them, the two countries have signed seven agreements in the energy and strategic field. The most representative is South Korea's Electric Power, Puxiang Holdings and other companies, reaching an agreement on Blue ammonia production cooperation.The giant Naver signed an agreement worth $ 100 million (about S $ 137 million) to establish a digital platform for five Saudi cities, including the capital Liad,. This is the company's first large -scale project in the Middle East regionEssence

Public Investment Fund (PIF) also signed a contract worth $ 500 million (about S $ 683 million).This Korean car company and PIF have decided to set up a joint venture to build a factory in Saudi Arabia. From 2026, 50,000 vehicles are produced, including fuel engine cars and electric vehicles.The plan marks the first production line of global auto manufacturers in the Middle East.

In view of the high dependence of imported crude oil in South Korea, in order to ensure the country's crude oil supply and reserves, the South Korean Petroleum Commune and the Saudi National Petroleum Corporation also signed a crude oil reserve contract with a scale of 5.3 million barrels.In addition, as one of the world's major weapons exporters, South Korea also plans to finalize large -scale industrial cooperation with Saudi Arabia's anti -missile defense and artillery weapons.

Yin Xiyue stated in an investment forum in Saudi Arabia that "South Korea has experience in the development of cutting -edge technology and successful industrial development, and cooperates with Saudi Arabia with strong capital and growth potential to produce a huge multiplication effect."He further emphasized that he will follow the Saudi National Strategy '2030 Vision "to deepen the partnership between the two countries".

Lazy Politics South Korea and the Middle East "one dozen is the same"

Although this trip is just a moment when the tension in the Middle East is intensified, some Korean experts believe that Saudi Arabia and most countries in the region in the Middle East are emphasizing economic development rather than politics, and will provide opportunities for Korean companies.Asan Institute for Policy Studies, Jang Ji-Hyang, a senior researcher, said: "Because of the conflict, the region seems to be chaotic, but Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other countries in the region are focusing on economic pragmaticism. Welcome the Middle East to welcomeInvestment in South Korea, because it is in line with their core interests. "

JANG, for example, Saudi Arabia is spent 500 billion US dollars (about S $ 682.6 billion) to build a future urban development project named "NEOM", which aims to build a big smart city in the northwest of the country;A rail aircraft was launched to Mars.He believes: "These grand plans coincide with South Korea, because South Korea is good at building and technology and has its own space plan." Last year, South Korea successfully launched the first monthly orbital aircraft "DANURI", which carried SpaceX companyFalcon 9 Rockets launch.South Korea ’s target will send the lander to the moon through domestic rockets by 2031.

In fact, Korean companies are no stranger to the Middle East.South Korean buildings, petroleum, natural gas and energy companies have been active in the past.Automotive manufacturers, such as Hyundai and Kia, and some electronics companies also export to the Middle East.On the other hand, the Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar also supply oil and liquefaction natural gas to South Korea.

According to the Korean International Trade Association, South Korea's total trade with Saudi Arabia last year reached US $ 46.5 billion (about S $ 63.5 billion).South Korea's exports to Saudi Arabia increased by 46.3%year -on -year to $ 4.9 billion (about S $ 6.7 billion), while the import amount increased by 71.6%year -on -year to 41.6 billion US dollars (about S $ 56.8 billion), with a large deficit.Last year, the country's total trade with the entire Middle East was US $ 126.9 billion (about S $ 173.2 billion), an increase of 57.1%year -on -year, and the deficit reached 91.9 billion US dollars (about S $ 125.4 billion).

Worsening fiscal and political instability Yin Xiyue can only "take the steel line"?

Sure enough, the reason why Yin Xiyue's government risks to strengthen economic and trade cooperation with the Middle East at this time, which has nothing to do with the deterioration of domestic economic prospects in South Korea.In recent years, South Korea has not only faced the long -term structural problems of low fertility, aging and low productivity, but also excessively relying on the Chinese economy, coupled with the challenges of China and the United States to confess multiple restrictions on the semiconductor industry.Unstable problems also make this East Asian country face severe challenges.

OECD (OECD) predict that the country's economic growth rate will fall to 1.9%below 2%this year, next year may fall to 1.7%, 1.9%behind the United States, and will decline in the 12th consecutive year in a row consecutive year.EssenceIn addition, according to the national competitiveness report issued by the Lausanne International Institute of Management (IMD), the Korean government's efficiency ranking has dropped from 36th last year to 38 this year, and political stability has slipped from 42 last year to 52; the public; the public; the public; the public; the public; the public;The fiscal ranking also dropped from 32 to 40.

Leaving aside the main consideration of the country's "economy", Yin Xiyue also hopes to enhance the country's international diplomatic status through this visit.The South Korean President also issued a statement on the conflict between Israel, Palestine and the situation of the Korean Peninsula with Muhammad, increasing South Korea's voices on major international issues.The two call on "it is important to protect civilians according to international law and international humanitarian law", and at the same time emphasizes "condemning all resolutions that violate the UN Security Council to prevent large -scale lethal weapon diffusion, including the nuclear ballistic missile plan that may hinder the Korean Peninsula and the international community's stable nuclear ballistic missiles and the international community.Weapon transfer ".

Even though the country is a bit "dangerous", due to the limited response measures in China, the editorial of Korean media also pointed out: "In terms of crisis, the cooperation with Saudi Arabia may be a breakthrough. "