KUWAIT: Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Ziad Al-Najem (representing Minister of Commerce Khalifa Al-Ajeel) on Monday inaugurated the Taihan Kuwait factory, the first Kuwaiti factory in the Mina Abdullah Industrial Area for manufacturing fiber optic cables, which are the backbone of modern communications systems and information transfer via communications networks and the Internet.

Al-Najem said in a press statement following the inauguration ceremony that this type of factory is considered one of the qualitative factories in the country, especially since the state is currently working on changing copper cables to optical ones due to their great communication capacity and speed in transferring information in a secure manner. He stressed that the Ministry will not hesitate to support and facilitate procedures for such factories to support the vision of ‘New Kuwait 2035’ that aims to transform Kuwait into a regional and commercial center that attracts investment.

In his speech during the ceremony, Acting Chairman of the Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority Abdullah Al-Ajmi said that “establishing the factory is a pivotal step in developing the telecommunications sector in Kuwait,” stressing that it is in line with the country’s national development plan and its policy of encouraging value-added industrial investments.

Al-Ajmi added that “the factory will work to meet the growing needs of customers, ensuring that communities are provided with the necessary tools to succeed in the digital age and contribute to diversifying sources of income and providing job opportunities for workers, in addition to transferring technology and attracting sustainable foreign investments. Chairman of the Board of Directors of Taihan Kuwait, Atallah Al-Mutairi, stressed in a similar speech the importance of fiber optic cables as they are the backbone of modern communication systems, pointing out their tremendous ability to transmit data at great speeds, long distances, and large capacity.

Al-Mutairi added that the factory area is 5,000 square meters. In turn, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the country, Park Tsung-sook, stressed the strength of the relations between his country and Kuwait, pointing out the contribution of some Korean companies to the Kuwaiti economic development through their work on major projects such as the Al-Zour refinery. He said that “the fiber optic cable factory will have the ability to expand into international markets, and the fiber optics will connect Kuwait to the high-speed Internet, which will contribute to supporting the vision of ‘New Kuwait 2035’.

The CEO of the parent company (Taihan Cable & Solution Korea), Song Joon Min, explained in a similar speech that the establishment of Taihan Kuwait came with the aim of producing fiber optic cables locally, which were completely imported. Song Joon Min said that the company will contribute to enhancing the information and communications industry in the country, noting that after three years of preparation, the company is now ready to operate.

He added that Taihan Kuwait will produce fiber optic cables of the highest quality, create new jobs, and plan to expand to neighboring GCC countries, which will contribute to the development of the industry in Kuwait. Song stressed that the company will do its utmost best in sharing technology and in providing human and material resources to enhance the company’s competitiveness in the global market. — KUNA