In early November, the king's son and heir, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, oversaw the unprecedented arrest of top princes, businessmen and officials allegedly involved in corruption. Many have agreed to pay undisclosed sums in exchange for their release.
"We are determined to confront corruption fairly and firmly," the king said.
The king, 81, delivered his annual 7-minute-long speech before the consultative Shura Council. Also in attendance were the crown prince and Saudi Arabia's top cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz Al Sheik.
The crown prince, backed by his father, has pushed through a number of dramatic social reforms this year, including a decision to allow women to drive next year, lifting a ban on movie theaters and granting girls access to physical education and sports in public schools.
These are all moves that had been criticized in the past by the grand mufti and other ultraconservative Saudi clerics.
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