UAE's de facto leader visits Korea

National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, right, shakes hands with Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, de facto leader of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the National Assembly, Tuesday. Yonhap

By Park Ji-won

National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang met with the de facto leader of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi, Tuesday, to discuss parliamentary cooperation between South Korea and the UAE. “Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed's visit was a return visit to that of Moon who went to the UAE last year,” according to an official at the Assembly.

The crown prince will meet with President Moon Jae-in today.

“Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed's visit came in return for that of Moon last year,” an official at the National Assembly said.

He last came to Korea in February 2014 and this is his fifth visit.

The official visit by Crown Prince Zayed is largely aimed at further improving relations between the two countries, Cheong Wa Dae said earlier.

The parliamentary leaders of South Korea and the UAE signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on bilateral cooperation in Abu Dhabi in December to strengthen parliamentary ties.

Moon and Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, speaker of the UAE's Federal National Council agreed to enhance cooperation and increase the exchange of information on legislative activities. They also agreed to exchange parliamentary delegations.

Following Crown Prince Zayed 's summit with President Moon, the two will dine at the presidential office's Sangchunjae, which will be open to a guest for the first time since it was closed for renovation last September. The two leaders will also sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on bilateral cooperation.

South Korea and the UAE upgraded their relationship to a “special strategic partnership” during President Moon's visit to the Middle Eastern country in March 2018. The UAE is the only Middle Eastern country to have established such as relationship with Seoul.