Vice Defense Minister Suh Choo-suk held talks with his Saudi Arabian counterpart in Riyadh on Wednesday and discussed bilateral cooperation in national defense.

The meeting with Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Ayash, Saudi Arabia's assistant minister for defense, marked the inaugural round of the two countries' joint defense cooperation committee.

The meeting was also attended by Saudi Arabia's deputy defense minister and military chief of staff.

Vice Minister Suh acknowledged the significance the bilateral committee plays in laying a foundation for close cooperation in areas of national security and defense industries between South Korea and Saudi Arabia.

Seoul's Defense Ministry also said that it anticipates a higher level of defense cooperation with Riyadh in the future.

The cooperation committee was formed as a regular consultation channel between the two countries' defense ministries. The two sides agreed to hold a second such meeting in Seoul next year.