AI, defense, mobility in focus as Korea’s business leaders gather in UAE

As South Korean President Lee Jae Myung began his state visit to the United Arab Emirates on Monday, industry attention turned to a high-level Korea-UAE business roundtable set for Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, where around 15 top Korean business leaders are expected to join.

Co-hosted by the Korea Enterprises Federation and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, the forum is designed to accelerate private-sector cooperation between the two countries across defense, energy, artificial intelligence and mobility.

Samsung Electronics and SK Group are expected to explore joint ventures in AI, while Hyundai Motor Group will focus on next-generation mobility platforms. Defense players Hanwha, HD Hyundai and LIG Nex1 are preparing to expand collaboration on military technologies, and major energy firms such as Doosan Enerbility and Korea Electric Power Corp. are also part of the delegation.

The gathering will feature some of Korea’s most influential corporate leaders. Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan will both attend. Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun will be joined by Vice Chairman Jang Jae-hoon, underscoring the group’s growing commitment to the UAE’s mobility and energy transition initiatives. Representing SK Group will be Ryu Young-sang, head of the SK Supex Council’s AI Committee, standing in for Chairman Chey Tae-won.

Other executives include LG Electronics CEO Cho Joo-wan, HD Hyundai Vice Chairman Cho Seok, GS Energy CEO Hur Yong-soo, CJ Group Vice Chairman Lee Seok-jun, Doosan Enerbility Vice Chairman Jung Yeon-in and Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon.

The roundtable follows a bilateral summit held on Oct. 31 between President Lee and UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during APEC Leaders’ Week in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. Both leaders reaffirmed plans to deepen cooperation in strategic sectors aligned with the UAE’s long-term diversification agenda.

Samsung’s Lee has shown sustained interest in the UAE market. Shortly after becoming chairman in 2022, he visited the Barakah nuclear power plant construction site, reinforcing the conglomerate’s long-standing regional ties. Samsung C&T and Samsung Engineering have also played key roles in landmark UAE projects, including the Burj Khalifa and major petrochemical complexes.

Hyundai Motor’s Chung also visited the Barakah plant in 2023 for the Unit 3 launch ceremony alongside UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Later that year, Hyundai signed a memorandum of understanding with a UAE sovereign wealth fund to explore joint projects in green hydrogen, aluminum, sustainable mobility and advanced air mobility.

Hanwha’s Kim has been expanding the company’s Middle Eastern footprint, establishing a regional headquarters for the Middle East and North Africa in September. In 2022, Hanwha Systems won a 1.3 trillion won ($940 million) contract to supply multifunction radars for the UAE’s Cheongung-II missile defense system, cementing its role as a key defense partner.

LG Electronics, active in the UAE since 1982, continues to expand its presence through B2B showrooms and consumer appliance stores while promoting commercial heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems tailored to Gulf conditions, including advanced variable refrigerant flow solutions.

The UAE is accelerating diversification away from hydrocarbons, investing heavily in AI, semiconductors and clean mobility. In 2023, a UAE sovereign wealth fund committed $30 billion in investments for Korea, though detailed allocations have yet to be released.

“The role of business leaders is expanding beyond traditional corporate boundaries,” said an industry source. “This visit could mark a pivotal moment for Korea in securing large-scale UAE investments in key sectors such as defense, AI and future mobility.”