President Yoon Suk Yeol met with Saudi Arabia’s defense chiefs on the third day of his state visit to the Middle Eastern country on Monday.

In the meeting with defense minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud and national guard minister Abdullah bin Bandar Al Saud at the state guest house, Yoon said that the two nations will see bilateral cooperation in defense and the arms industry develop further after their summit in November of last year, Khalid’s visit to South Korea in March and Monday’s meeting.

Expressing hope that Saudi Arabia will succeed in its defense reforms, the president said that South Korea will contribute to Saudi efforts to bolster its defense capabilities, proposing that the two nations expand and deepen cooperation in various defense areas, including military training, joint exercises and personnel exchanges.

In response, the Saudi defense chief reportedly said that South Korea-Saudi development in the defense industry development is about to bear fruit, which will become a new milestone in the relationship between the two countries.

The defense minister also hoped that the two nations will work together in the area of next-generation arms, proposing comprehensive cooperation that includes technological collaboration and joint production.