Seoul: Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed Al-Hogail has concluded his Asian tour, which included visits to China and the Republic of Korea, aimed at strengthening international partnerships in housing, infrastructure, and smart city development. The tour comes as part of the ministry’s efforts to expand housing supply, achieve balance in the real estate market, and attract modern technologies that enhance the quality of life in Saudi cities.

According to Saudi Press Agency, during his visit to China, the National Housing Company (NHC) signed a series of agreements and memoranda of understanding with several major Chinese firms to implement more than 24,000 housing units, as part of a broader plan to deliver 100,000 Saudi-Chinese housing units by 2030. These agreements support the ministry’s strategy to diversify international partnerships and adopt modern construction technologies to boost implementation efficiency.

In the Republic of Korea, Minister Al-Hogail met with Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yun-duk and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon to discuss developing housing and infrastructure systems and integrating advanced technologies for building smart cities. He also met with NAVER’s leadership to review progress on the second phase of the Balady digital twin project, which supports the digital transformation of municipal and housing services.

Additionally, the minister witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between NHC and GS E and C to develop a distinctive residential project within Al-Fursan, the largest urban development project in eastern Riyadh.

Minister Al-Hogail emphasized that the tour reflects the ministry’s integrated approach to strengthening collaboration with global partners in housing, infrastructure, and real estate technology. ‘These partnerships will help enhance implementation efficiency, improve the citizen experience throughout the homeownership journey, and promote real estate market stability and sustainable urban growth,’ he said.

He added that the outcomes of the Asian tour mark an important step in building smarter, more sustainable Saudi cities through the adoption of advanced technologies and international best practices in urban planning and integrated housing. This approach, he noted, aligns with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to create thriving, sustainable cities that elevate the quality of life and contribute to comprehensive national development across all regions of the Kingdom.