Lee vows to deepen partnership with UAE in energy, defense and AI
President Lee Jae Myung, second from left, claps during a business roundtable in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Nov. 19. From left are UAE Investment Minister Mohamed Hassan Al Suwaidi; Lee; Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council; and Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Affairs Authority. Yonhap
ABU DHABI — President Lee Jae Myung pledged Wednesday to bolster economic cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the defense industry, renewable energy and artificial intelligence (AI) as part of efforts to foster new growth drivers for both countries.
Lee made the remarks during a meeting with business leaders from Korea and the UAE during his state visit, which focused on deepening economic ties with the Middle Eastern nation.
He expressed hope to build on momentum in traditional areas of partnership, such as nuclear energy and defense, by expanding cooperation into emerging sectors, including renewable energy, joint weapons development and collaboration in third-country markets.
"Let us secure momentum for shared growth by advancing cooperation in clean energy and the defense industry," he said during the business roundtable event in Abu Dhabi.
He suggested that combining the UAE's vast solar energy potential with Korea's cutting-edge battery technology would contribute to both countries' goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 while fostering new eco-friendly industries.
Lee said South Korea also aims to support the UAE's nuclear energy development by building related facilities for nuclear fuel and electricity production.
In the defense sector, Lee proposed expanding cooperation beyond weapons procurement.
"We hope to enhance cooperation from joint development and technology sharing to local production, contributing to the advancement of the defense industries of both countries," he said. "We hope that joint entry into third-country markets will expand bilateral cooperation onto a global scale."
He also highlighted the advanced capabilities of Korean chipmakers, positioning South Korea as "the UAE's most reliable partner" in its vision to become a global AI hub by 2031.
In addition, Lee called for expanding people-to-people exchanges in areas such as food and beauty, expressing hope that strengthened cooperation with the UAE would help spread K-culture throughout the broader Middle East.
The business event was attended by Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung, Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan and LG Electronics CEO Cho Joo-wan.
During the event, the two sides signed five memorandums of understanding (MOUs) for cooperation in the soft power, defense and energy sectors, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources.
Korean retail giant CJ signed separate MOUs with the UAE's biggest beauty retailer LIFE Healthcare Group and AKI Client Concept with an aim to better distribute its food and beauty products in the Middle East.
Major defense firm LIG Nex1 reached an initial agreement with UAE's Calidus for collaboration in establishing an integrated air defense system in the Middle Eastern country.
The Korea Trade Insurance Corp. signed an MOU with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company to provide a preliminary credit guarantee limit of $2 billion, while KEPCO KDN, a subsidiary of state-run Korea Electric Power Corp., agreed to join hands with Emirates Nuclear Energy Company to develop AI and digital technologies that can advance the operational capabilities of the Barakah nuclear power plant, according to the ministry.
After the roundtable, Lee will meet service members of the Akh unit, a South Korean contingent stationed in the UAE, before wrapping up his three-day visit.
Lee will then fly to Cairo for summit talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the second stop of his four-nation swing to the Middle East and Africa that includes stops in South Africa for the Group of 20 summit and Turkey.