Korea, UAE to strengthen AI cooperation

President Lee Jae Myung and United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan agreed to expand cooperation in advanced technology as they met on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Gyeongju on Friday, the presidential office said.

In their first-ever meeting, the two leaders also discussed ways to extend collaboration beyond defense and energy into emerging sectors such as cultural exchanges.

The crown prince invited President Lee to visit the UAE in November, marking what will be Lee’s first visit to the country since taking office.

At the meeting, Lee welcomed the crown prince’s visit to Korea, noting that “Gyeongju is the very city that engaged in exchanges with the Islamic world about a thousand years ago.”

He described the UAE as “a very strong and traditional ally of Korea, and the only country in the Middle East with which Korea maintains a special strategic partnership,” expressing hope that the visit would further deepen bilateral ties.

The crown prince, emphasizing that the relationship between the two nations is built on trust, said, “Our partnership with Korea is very special and important across many sectors.”

He congratulated Korea on successfully hosting the APEC summit, adding, “Strengthening ties among Asian nations is equally important to us.”

“I look forward to welcoming you to the UAE in November,” he said, noting that it would be Lee’s first visit to the country since taking office and promising a warm reception.

During the talks, Lee said cultural cooperation also holds great potential, expressing hope that the UAE — a global tourism hub attracting visitors from around the world — will help promote the spread of K-culture internationally.

Crown prince, for his part, expressed deep admiration for Korea’s soft power and cultural capabilities, saying he was deeply impressed by Korea’s creativity and global influence.

Lee added that he looks forward to meeting UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in person in the near future to hold in-depth discussions on ways to further advance the two nations’ special strategic partnership.

Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said the meeting “served as an important opportunity to broaden the scope of future-oriented cooperation based on mutual trust and friendship between the two nations.”

The last official Korea-UAE summit took place in May 2024, when then-President Yoon Suk Yeol hosted UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for a state visit. Yoon had previously made a state visit to the UAE in January 2023.

As of 2025, cooperation between South Korea and the UAE continues to expand across various fields, including the economy, science and technology, and agri-food sectors. The two countries signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in May 2024, further strengthening their economic partnership.