Naver Wins Saudi Approval for National Digital Twin Platform

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA: Naver, the South Korean technology company, has secured official approval for its cloud-based digital twin platform to serve as Saudi Arabia’s national standard platform for local governments, paving the way for wider deployment of the company’s smart city technology across the Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia’s Digital Government Authority (DGA) approved the platform for local government deployments, establishing a common technology framework that can be used across urban planning, infrastructure management, public safety and municipal operations.

The approval represents a significant expansion of Naver’s involvement in Saudi Arabia, three years after the Korean technology company secured its initial project in the country in 2023.

Following the DGA approval, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Municipalities and Housing issued an official notice encouraging local governments to prioritise Naver’s platform for smart city and digital twin projects. The approach is intended to reduce duplicative investment while establishing unified technology standards and methodologies across the country.

A Unified Platform for Saudi Cities

The initiative is designed to bring digital twin and digital urban planning projects undertaken by municipalities across Saudi Arabia under a unified system.

Through the platform, the government plans to support a transition towards more data-driven municipal administration while enabling local governments to share data and operational experience.

Digital twin technology creates detailed virtual representations of physical environments, allowing authorities to use data to support planning, infrastructure management and other urban operations.

“The adoption as a national standard is significant because it validates not only Naver’s technological capabilities but also the results we have demonstrated and the trust we have built locally,” Chae Seon-ju, Naver’s head of strategic business and innovation division, said.

“Building on this, we will apply Naver’s technological capabilities in digital twins, AI and cloud computing to urban infrastructure development across Saudi Arabia and further strengthen our position as a key technology partner supporting digital transformation in the Middle East.”

Platform Covers More Than 920,000 Buildings

Naver’s involvement in Saudi Arabia’s digital twin programme began in October 2023, when the company secured a contract from the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing to develop a digital twin platform covering major Saudi cities.

In 2025, Naver completed digital twin systems for Mecca, Medina and Jeddah, covering more than 920,000 buildings across 6,800 square kilometres.

The area covered is more than 11 times the size of Seoul, providing the technological foundation for the platform’s expansion across the Kingdom.

The national standard designation now creates a framework through which the technology can be deployed more broadly by local governments.

Supporting Saudi Arabia’s Smart City Development

With the platform approved as a national standard, Naver plans to deepen its collaboration with the Saudi government and local partners as the Kingdom continues to develop its digital urban infrastructure.

The company also plans to accelerate the development of technologies tailored to the Saudi market, drawing on the expertise and data accumulated through its large-scale digital twin projects.

The approval potentially extends the role of digital twins across Saudi municipal operations, providing local governments with a common platform for managing urban data and supporting planning and infrastructure decisions.

For Naver, the designation also represents an opportunity to expand its digital twin, artificial intelligence and cloud capabilities in Saudi Arabia while strengthening its wider position in the Middle East’s growing smart city technology sector.