Real people, real stories

Mr. Kyoo Wan Kim

• Joined Saudi Aramco in 2019 as a Project Engineer within the UR Engrg & Project Dept.

• Originally from South Korea

• Currently resides in Saudi Aramco's residential camp in Dhahran

Working at Saudi Aramco

Kyoo Wan, who has almost 30 years of experience as a project engineer, relocated from South Korea to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, in December 2019 to join the Saudi Aramco Unconventional Gas project, the biggest shale gas development outside of the United States. When asked how he felt about joining Saudi Aramco, Kyoo Wan said, “My dream came true! I hoped to work for Aramco, the most prestigious oil and gas company in the world.” According to Kyoo Wan, Saudi Aramco has the world's best systems, processes and people. He has been able to enjoy learning about the organization's systems and best practices.

Prior to joining Aramco, Kyoo Wan's successful international career has also taken him to work in countries such as Mexico, Turkey and Malaysia. Sharing about his relocation experience, Kyoo Wan said “Whenever I was assigned to a new country, I studied its culture and history. The understanding of the country was useful in helping me adapt to the new environment.” For those considering opportunities with Aramco in Saudi Arabia, Kyoo Wan's advice was, “First, study Islamic culture and the Kingdom's history.”

Talking about his work environment and the people he currently works with, Kyoo Wan said, “Most of my colleagues are from various countries such as Canada, UK, Philippines and India. We coordinate very well as a team to complete our projects successfully.”

Kyoo Wan's colleagues have not only helped him professionally. They also made his transition from Korea to the Kingdom easier. “I had some challenges to overcome such as the different working methods and cultural differences between Saudi Arabia and Korea. My colleagues advised me and helped me out when I faced difficulties,” Kyoo Wan said. “I feel that most of Aramco employees are very kind and have good personality. They were willing to support me to settle in the Kingdom.”

Living in Saudi Arabia

Outside of work, Kyoo Wan enjoys touring Al-Hasa and Riyadh where he has visited many impressive sites. He has made it an objective to visit as many tourist attractions as possible while in the Kingdom.

Shortly after Kyoo Wan arrived in Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom enforced a lockdown in response to the global Covid-19 pandemic. Alone in a new country and faced with a daunting situation, Kyoo Wan nonetheless feels that Saudi Aramco has done well in taking care of its employees with regular updates via emails and calls, as well as regular temperature checks and monitoring of employees' health. 

Although Kyoo Wan has not been able to fully experience life in the Saudi Aramco residential community because of the pandemic, he looks forward to joining the various community clubs and activities with colleagues who enjoy the same hobbies, after the pandemic situation eases.