President Lee Proposes Joint Future Growth with UAE Through AI, Clean Energy, and Defense Cooperation
During his state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), South Korean President Lee Jae-myung emphasized on the 19th (local time) in Abu Dhabi that Korea and the UAE should work together to create new engines of future growth through AI-centered advanced industry cooperation, and by elevating partnerships in clean energy and defense.
Speaking at the Korea–UAE Business Roundtable held at a hotel in Abu Dhabi, President Lee highlighted that collaboration between the two governments and business sectors must expand further. The roundtable was jointly hosted by the Korea Enterprises Federation, KOTRA, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade, and the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and was attended by around 40 representatives from both countries’ governments, institutions, and major corporations.
President Lee noted that Korea and the UAE have built deep trust through cooperation such as the Barakah nuclear power plant project and the deployment of Korea’s Akh military unit, saying the two nations have already become “true brotherly nations and partners—Rafiq, companions on a long journey.” He added that Korea is the ideal partner to support the UAE’s ambition of becoming the world’s leading nation by 2071.
President Lee presented three key directions for building a long-term partnership for the next century:
- accelerating AI-driven advanced industry collaboration,
- strengthening clean energy and defense cooperation, and
- expanding cultural and people-to-people exchanges through soft power.
He explained that cooperation in high-tech industries—ranging from AI data centers to biotech—had been significantly upgraded during this visit. He stressed that Korea’s advanced semiconductor capabilities, including HBM, and its proven EPC capacity make Korea the most reliable partner for the UAE’s plan to become an “AI hub by 2031.”
On clean energy and defense cooperation, President Lee said that combining the UAE’s vast solar potential with Korea’s cutting-edge battery technology would contribute greatly to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and fostering new eco-friendly industries. He added that Korea could also support the UAE’s nuclear energy sector by participating in the construction of local facilities related to nuclear fuel and electric systems, expressing hope for mutually beneficial cooperation. He also called for deeper collaboration in the defense sector—ranging from joint development and technology partnerships to local production—to advance the defense industries of both nations.
President Lee stressed the importance of expanding cultural ties and soft power cooperation as well. He noted that the recent K-Food and K-Beauty expo in Dubai had been a major success, and that Korean Hanwoo beef was exported to the UAE for the first time, presenting new opportunities in the halal market. He expressed hope that K-culture would spread further across the Middle East through cooperation with the UAE, a leading cultural nation in the region.
During the roundtable, companies from both countries discussed concrete ways to strengthen cooperation in areas such as advanced industries, energy and infrastructure, defense, and cultural exchange. The Office of the President stated that the event is expected to broaden the scope of Korea–UAE economic cooperation across various industries.
In his closing remarks, President Lee noted that Korea and the UAE share similar security environments and geopolitical characteristics, as well as a mutual cultural emphasis on valuing people. He said that by complementing each other’s strengths in advanced industries and culture, and by expanding exchanges between government leaders and citizens, the two countries can achieve genuine joint prosperity as true brother nations.
Among the Korean attendees were Science and Technology Vice Prime Minister Baek Kyung-hoon, Trade Minister Kim Jung-kwan, Korea Enterprises Federation Chairman Ryu Jin, KOTRA President Kang Kyung-sung, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun, Hanwha Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan, LG Electronics President Cho Joo-wan, and Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon.
Representing the UAE were Crown Prince Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Khaldoon Al Mubarak (CEO of Mubadala), Tani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi (Minister of Foreign Trade), Mohamed Hassan Al Suwaidi (Minister of Investment), Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi (Secretary General of Tawazun Council), Omar Abdulrahman Al Zaabi (President of EDGE Commercial), and Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi (CEO of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation).
