Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun held a telephone conversation with H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 18 (Seoul time), during which the two sides exchanged views on the development of Korea–Saudi Arabia relations and ways to advance practical bilateral cooperation.

Minister Cho underscored that Saudi Arabia is Korea’s largest supplier of crude oil, largest overseas construction market, and thus indispensable cooperation partner for its sustained economic development. He expressed his hope that the two countries would further strengthen their mutually beneficial cooperation as "future-oriented strategic partners."

Prince Faisal, calling Korea a key partner in the implementation of the “Saudi Vision 2030,” emphasized that cooperation with Korea is of great importance for Saudi Arabia’s sustainable development. He expressed his hope to see practical cooperation between the two countries expand across various fields on the back of continued high-level exchanges.

The two Ministers agreed to meet with each other on various occasions for in-depth discussions on ways to further develop bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to maintain close communication.