UAE, Korean Presidents discuss ways to strengthen strategic ties

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Lee Jae-myung, President of the Republic of Korea, held talks on Tuesday on ways to enhance cooperation and advance the Special Strategic Partnership and Comprehensive Economic Partnership between the two countries.

The leaders explored opportunities to broaden these frameworks in a manner that serves shared interests and contributes to the prosperity and wellbeing of their peoples.

The discussions took place during an official meeting at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi as part of Lee Jae-myung's state visit to the UAE.

Sheikh Mohamed welcomed the Korean President at the start of the talks, expressing confidence that the visit would further deepen UAE-Korea relations and advance their shared vision for sustainable growth and prosperity.

 The two sides reviewed key areas of cooperation, with a focus on the economic, trade, and investment sectors, along with renewable energy.

They also discussed important fields such as technology, artificial intelligence, sustainability, education, and culture and explored promising opportunities to expand collaboration in line with both countries' development priorities.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to broadening cooperation, guided by a shared vision for progress and the strong potential for joint initiatives.

Sheikh Mohamed and Lee Jae-myung also exchanged views on regional and international developments of mutual concern.

They underscored the importance of supporting regional and global efforts to promote peace, stability, and development, particularly in the Middle East.

During the meeting, Sheikh Mohamed stated that the UAE and the Republic of Korea share a strategic relationship built on trust, mutual respect, and a joint commitment to achieving development and prosperity both nationally and globally.

Sheikh Mohamed affirmed the UAE's keenness to continue strengthening its economic and trade relations and invest in a future-oriented partnership with the Republic of Korea.

Sheikh Mohamed pointed to the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2024 as a milestone that marked a new phase of economic cooperation and joint growth between the two countries.

He added that the Republic of Korea is one of the UAE's leading trade partners and highlighted the significant progress made in bilateral relations in recent years, which now serve as a model for constructive engagement.

Sheikh Mohamed expressed his commitment to working closely with Lee Jae-myung to advance their shared vision for sustainable development, reaffirming the UAE's consistent approach to building growth-focused partnerships with countries that share its aim for inclusive progress and prosperity.

For his part, Lee Jae-myung spoke of the strong ties between the UAE and Republic of Korea and their shared commitment to building on them, particularly in areas such as technology, artificial intelligence, energy, and culture, among others.

He also signed the VIP guestbook, expressing his pleasure at visiting the UAE and highlighting the close strategic ties between the two countries.

He described the Republic of Korea and the UAE as two inspiring models of development, noting that their relationship continues to grow in a way that serves the interests of both nations.

Lee Jae-myung thanked Sheikh Mohamed for the warm welcome extended to him and his accompanying delegation since their arrival and wished the UAE continued progress and prosperity.

To mark the occasion, Sheikh Mohamed hosted a luncheon in honour of the Korean President and his delegation.

Earlier, Sheikh Mohamed and the Korean President greeted a community group that participated in the welcome ceremony held in honour of Korean President’s visit.

The group included outstanding students, engineers, and specialists in the nuclear energy sector working on the UAE's development projects, as well as an economic delegation from both the Emirati and Korean sides.

The talks were attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court; Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi; Lt. General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; Sheikh Theyab Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes' Affairs; Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Advisor to the UAE President; and a number of sheikhs, ministers, and senior officials.

The talks were also attended by the delegation acompanying the Korean President, which included a number of ministers and senior officials.

WAM