The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Defense
  • Labor & Environment
  • Law & Crime
  • Health & Welfare
  • Embassy
  • Seoul & Provinces
  • Education
  • Foreign Communities
  • Obituaries
Biz & Tech
  • Auto
  • IT
  • Game
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail & Food
  • Energy
  • Construction
  • Airlines
Finance
  • Policies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Banks
  • Non-banks
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Arts
  • Books
  • Travel & Cuisine
  • Trend
  • Fashion
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
  • K-pop
  • K-dramas & Shows
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Performances
  • Asia Model Festival
Sports
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Baseball
  • Other Sports
World
  • Asia Pacific
  • Americas
  • Europe & Africa
  • SCMP
Video
  • On the Spot
  • Feature
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
Community
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
National
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Defense
  • Labor & Environment
  • Law & Crime
  • Health & Welfare
  • Embassy
  • Seoul & Provinces
  • Education
  • Foreign Communities
  • Obituaries
Sat, March 6, 2021 | 04:56
Diplomacy
Korea, UAE pledges cooperation in defense
Posted : 2018-03-25 17:08
Updated : 2018-03-26 13:47
Mail
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the latter's office before a summit with the United Arab Emirates leader, Sunday. / Yonhap
President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the latter's office before a summit with the United Arab Emirates leader, Sunday. / Yonhap

By Kim Rahn

ABU DHABI ― President Moon Jae-in and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan agreed, Sunday, that defense cooperation is the core of relations between Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The two leaders decided to develop the bilateral relationship from a strategic partnership into a "special strategic partnership."

The agreements were made in a summit during Moon's visit to the UAE. This is his first UAE visit since taking office in May.

Moon indirectly mentioned a controversy over secret military deals with the UAE reached during former President Lee Myung-bak's term in 2009, and the following dispute between the nations over it.

"There was a hitch, but the relations between Korea and the UAE have not been damaged at all," Moon was quoted as saying by presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom. "Rather, this became a chance for Korea to gain public sympathy over the two nations' cooperation in the defense sector and to strengthen it."

But he and Cheong Wa Dae officials did not elaborate further on this.

Since December when presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok visited the UAE and met with the crown prince as Moon's special envoy, suspicions have lingered that he went there to mitigate a dispute over military deals. Afterward, a former defense minister who served under Lee admitted Korea signed a secret deal to send troops automatically to the UAE if the latter became engaged in a military conflict. Moon said earlier this year he would seek to revise or supplement the deals if they had flaws.

The leaders agreed that Im, who accompanied the President to the UAE, and Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority of Abu Dhabi who came to Korea in January as the crown prince's special envoy, would be the channel of communication when difficulties take place in developing bilateral relations.

Korea and the UAE will form a vice minister-level consultative group in diplomacy and defense, and this body is expected to help resolve the military deal issue.

While the UAE is the Middle East's largest importer of Korea-made weapons, the leaders agreed to seek a win-win way of developing defense technologies.

"Moon said he would cooperate in not only transferring defense technology to the UAE but also developing and manufacturing weapons together and jointly advancing into third countries," Kim said.

Korea and the UAE established their strategic partnership in 2009, when Korea won a project to construct the UAE's first nuclear power plant in Barakah. They now decided to upgrade it to a special strategic partnership.

"The two nations have had cooperation in many sectors, but I expect more comprehensive development," the crown prince was quoted as saying. "We hope the bilateral relations will develop as much as Moon wants and even beyond that."

Besides the consultative body, the two leaders also agreed on holding strategy talks between the foreign ministers of the two nations more often, and economy-related committee talks annually.

Noting that Korea and the UAE have cooperated in energy, infrastructure, defense and healthcare, they agreed to expand the partnership into high value-added technologies for the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and into wider fields including science and technology, space development, intellectual property and agricultural industry.

Alongside the summit, ministers of the two nations signed five memoranda of understanding (MOUs) for cooperation in science, information and communications technology, businesses of mid-sized companies, renewable energy, patent-related administration and agreement for Korea's participation in 2020 Dubai Expo.

They had a lunch, which was also attended by GS EPS President Huh Yong-soo, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Yoon Boo-keun, Hanwha Vice Chairman Keum Chun-soo, SK Innovation CEO Kim Jun, Poongsan Chairman Ryu Jin, Hyundai Engineering & Construction CEO Park Dong-wook, LG Chem Vice Chairman Park Jin-soo, LS Cable & System President Myung Roe-hyun and CJ Logistics CEO Park Geun-tae.

Later in the day, Moon also met other high-level officials of the country, including Al Mubarak, and Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, minister of state and CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.


Emailrahnita@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
UAE, ROK - two strategic partners on right track
It goes without saying that the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Korea have maintained distinguished bilateral ties since the establishment of these relations in the early ...









 
 
  • 279 caught for spreading disinformation on COVID-19 vaccines
  • Seoul encourages foreign residents to take COVID-19 tests
  • Medical experts warn against excessive fears of the COVID-19 vaccine
  • Animal rights activists dump coconuts in front of Thai embassy, criticizing forced monkey labor
  • South Korea approves Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine
  • [INTERVIEW] Author of 'comfort women' series urges world to hear their testimonies
  • Fire engulfs old Buddhist temple in southwestern region
  • US International Trade Commission reaffirms ruling in favor of LG over SK in battery feud
  • Main opposition fails to capitalize on by-election advantage
  • EU to extend COVID-19 vaccine export controls as AstraZeneca shipment blocked
  • Stars accused of school bullying paying price Stars accused of school bullying paying price
  • Snowballing bullying scandal deals blow to TV series projects Snowballing bullying scandal deals blow to TV series projects
  • Global K-pop fans unite forces at Kpop4Planet for climate action Global K-pop fans unite forces at Kpop4Planet for climate action
  • Rapper Killagramz apologizes over marijuana use Rapper Killagramz apologizes over marijuana use
  • Golden Globe-winning 'Minari' makes strong debut in Korea Golden Globe-winning 'Minari' makes strong debut in Korea
DARKROOM
  • Bloody Sunday in Myanmar

    Bloody Sunday in Myanmar

  • Earth is suffering

    Earth is suffering

  • NASA's Perseverance rover is landing on Mars

    NASA's Perseverance rover is landing on Mars

  • Fun in the snow, sledding for everyone

    Fun in the snow, sledding for everyone

  • Our children deserve better: Part 3

    Our children deserve better: Part 3

  • About Korea Times
  • CEO Message
  • Times History
  • Content Sales
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Location
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • 고충처리인
  • hankookilbo
  • Dongwha Group
  • Code of Ethics
Copyright