By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young

President Lee Jae-myung stated during his summit with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, “I hope this visit will serve as an opportunity for the cooperative relationship between Korea and the UAE to become truly broader, deeper, and more special.”

President Lee made these remarks during the expanded summit meeting between South Korea and the UAE held at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Nov. 18 (local time). President Lee is on a state visit to the UAE from the 17th to the 19th, a two-night, three-day itinerary.

President Lee remarked, “I am the first President of the Republic of Korea to visit the Middle East within half a year of taking office. The UAE is the first destination of this meaningful tour,” adding, “It is also the first country I have visited as a state guest since taking office. I believe this clearly demonstrates how valuable partners Korea and the UAE are to each other.”

He continued, “The UAE is the only country in the Middle East and Africa with which our nation has established a special strategic partnership. I believe cooperation between our two countries is clearly characterized by the Barakah nuclear power plant project and the Akh Battalion. I am truly pleased that, based on this, cooperative relationships have been established in various areas.”

President Lee stated, “Based on firm mutual trust, mutual respect, and the spirit of brotherhood, I hope we will develop our relationship even more solidly so that it does not retreat, no matter what changes may occur in the diplomatic landscape going forward.” He added, “Based on the special friendship we have built so far, I believe the relationship between our two countries will take a new leap forward to a higher level.”

He added, “I understand that you announced a grand plan in 2021 to establish the UAE as the world's leading nation by 2071, the 100th anniversary of its founding.” He continued, “I take this opportunity to reiterate that the Republic of Korea stands ready to cooperate comprehensively for the two nations' 100-year journey together.”

He further remarked, “There are indeed many fields of great competitiveness and strategic importance to both nations, such as defense, defense industry, artificial intelligence, nuclear energy, health, and medical care.”

He continued, “As the President sincerely emphasizes, I believe we can swiftly and firmly establish a future-oriented cooperative structure that allows both nations to move forward unhesitatingly toward mutual growth and shared prosperity, going beyond the pursuit of profit through transactions and contracts.”

President Mohamed said, "The special strategic partnership between Korea and the UAE is yielding results in numerous fields. It is difficult to list all the fields, including the economy, energy, advanced technology, culture, and defense and military industries.“

He added, ”To mention one historical event from 50 years ago, when my father, the late President Zayed, who founded the UAE, decided to build the Musaffah Bridge connecting Abu Dhabi to the mainland, he chose a Korean company. Just as that bridge connected Abu Dhabi to the mainland, there are now numerous bridges connecting our two nations. I hope these bridges linking our countries will further fulfill the desire for cooperation and development between the UAE and Korea."