Abu Dhabi [UAE], November 16 (ANI/WAM): The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Korea are bound by a special strategic partnership that has given their bilateral relations exceptional importance and continuously propelled them toward further growth and advancement, embodying their shared vision of promoting development and prosperity for the peoples of both nations.
The state visit that President Lee Jae-myung of the Republic of Korea will begin tomorrow, Monday, to the UAE, represents a significant milestone in the historical path of bilateral relations between the two countries, which began nearly 45 years ago.
The UAE is one of the first countries in the Middle East to establish a special strategic partnership with the Republic of Korea, a partnership that spans multiple fields including politics, the economy, nuclear cooperation, climate change, cybersecurity, food security, defense, healthcare, culture, government administration, and space.
Both countries are keen to strengthen the solid foundations of their bilateral relations through ongoing dialogue, regular reciprocal visits by senior officials, and the special strategic dialogue that they have been holding periodically since 2019.
Economic and investment relations between the two countries continue to grow steadily. The total value of non-oil trade between the UAE and Korea reached $6.6 billion in 2024, recording a growth of 11.4% compared to 2023, and 17.8% and 40.8% compared to 2022 and 2021 respectively. Meanwhile, non-oil foreign trade between the two countries exceeded $3.14 billion during the first half of 2025.
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two countries represents one of the achievements of the UAE's foreign trade program, which aims to increase the value of non-oil foreign trade to more than 4 trillion dirhams by 2031.
Once the agreement enters into force, investors and companies on both sides will benefit from the elimination of most customs duties and the removal of barriers to trade in key sectors, including energy, resources, healthcare, advanced industries, smart farming, and the bioeconomy. It will also enhance market access across fast-growing regions in the Middle East and Asia.
In 2023, the UAE announced that its sovereign investment funds would invest $30 billion in strategic sectors in Korea. During the eighth session of the Joint Economic Committee, the two countries also agreed to expand and diversify economic cooperation across 11 strategic sectors, boosting mutual investments.
The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant stands as an outstanding model of developmental cooperation between the two friendly nationsnot only for its financial value, but also because it is the first nuclear power plant construction project executed by Korea abroad. In December 2009, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) awarded a $20 billion contract to a consortium led by the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) to build the project.
The two countries also present a distinguished model of cooperation in tourism and aviation, with an increasing number of flights and continuous growth in tourist flows. The number of tourists coming from Korea to the UAE exceeds 200,000 visitors annually.
In July 2023, the two sides agreed to increase tourism exchange, including support for start-ups entering the tourism market in both countries, and to continue implementing various joint projects based on the outcomes of Korea Travel Week in the UAE, held in May of the same year.
The two countries are also keen to enhance cultural and scientific relations through various initiatives and measures, such as the opening of the Korean Cultural Centre in Abu Dhabi and hosting a special Korean culture festival, which has become a major annual event in the UAE.
Additionally, branches of the King Sejong Institute have been opened in Sharjah and at Zayed University in Al Ain, where the number of students interested in learning the Korean language and culture continues to grow year after year.
The UAE Ministry of Culture, in cooperation with the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, launched the UAE-Korea Cultural Dialogue 2020 programme in celebration of the 40th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries.
In the medical field, the two countries have signed numerous agreements, memoranda of understanding, and cooperation frameworks covering medical evaluation and licensing programs, hospital management, and the exchange of medical expertise, as well as collaboration in medical education.
In June of last year, Dubai Healthcare City witnessed the groundbreaking of the Asan-UAE Digestive Diseases Hospital, part of its second phase of development. This project, led by UAE-based Scope Investment, will become the first global branch of Asan Medical Centerone of South Korea's largest hospitals and healthcare institutionsand will contribute to delivering advanced healthcare services and academic opportunities in digestive health.
Several specialised Korean healthcare companies also operate major hospitals in the UAE, thanks to Korea's strong reputation in medical care, advanced technologies, and high-quality patient services. (ANI/WAM)
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