The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Korea are bound by a special strategic partnership that lends exceptional importance to their bilateral relations, continuously driving them toward greater growth and progress, embodying their visions for enhancing the development and prosperity of their peoples. The "state visit" by Lee Jae-myung, President of the Republic of Korea, to the UAE tomorrow, "Monday," marks a significant milestone in the historical trajectory of bilateral relations between the two nations, which began approximately 45 years ago. The UAE stands among the first countries in the Middle East to establish a special strategic partnership with the Republic of Korea, covering multiple sectors such as politics, economy, nuclear cooperation, climate change, cybersecurity, food security, defense, healthcare, culture, public administration, and space. Both nations are committed to strengthening the solid foundations of their bilateral relations through the permanent dialogue between them, periodic reciprocal visits by senior officials, and the special strategic dialogue they have held regularly since 2019.
Economic Relations Economic and investment ties between the two countries continue to develop and grow, with the total value of non-oil trade between the UAE and South Korea reaching $6.6 billion in 2024, marking an 11.4% increase compared to 2023, and 17.8% and 40.8% increases compared to 2022 and 2021, respectively. The value of non-oil foreign trade between the two countries exceeded $3.14 billion in the first half of 2025. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the two countries is one of the achievements of the UAE's foreign trade program, which aims to increase the value of non-oil foreign trade to exceed AED 4 trillion by 2031. After the agreement comes into force, investors and companies from both sides will benefit from the elimination of most customs duties and the removal of trade barriers in key sectors, including energy, resources, healthcare, advanced industries, smart farming, bioeconomy, and enhancing access to markets in fast-growing regions of the Middle East and Asia. In 2023, the UAE announced the commitment of its sovereign investment funds to invest $30 billion in strategic sectors in the Republic of Korea. Additionally, the two countries agreed to expand and diversify the umbrella of economic cooperation across 11 strategic sectors and stimulate mutual investments within them. The Barakah Peaceful Nuclear Energy project in Abu Dhabi serves as a prime model of developmental cooperation between the two friendly countries, not only in terms of its material value but also because it is the first project for building nuclear power plants that South Korea has undertaken abroad. In December 2009, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation awarded a $20 billion contract to a consortium led by the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) to build the project.
Tourism and Aviation The two countries present an exemplary model of cooperation in the tourism and aviation sectors, with an increase in flight numbers and continuous growth in tourist flows between them. Over 200,000 tourists from Korea visit the UAE annually. In July 2023, the two countries agreed to boost tourist exchange, including supporting startups entering the tourism market in both nations and continuing to implement various joint projects by leveraging the outcomes of the "Korean Travel Week in the UAE" event held in May of the same year.
Cultural Relations Both nations are keen to enhance cultural and scientific ties through a range of initiatives and measures, such as the opening of the Korean Cultural Center in Abu Dhabi, hosting a dedicated Korean cultural festival that has become a major event on the UAE's annual events calendar, and the inauguration of a branch of the "King Sejong" Institute in the emirate of Sharjah and at Zayed University in Al Ain, both of which are seeing a year-on-year increase in the number of students eager to learn about the Korean language and culture. The UAE's Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea, launched the "UAE-Korea Cultural Dialogue 2020" program to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Medical Field In the medical field, the two countries have signed numerous agreements, memoranda of understanding, and cooperation protocols covering programs for medical assessment and licensing, hospital management, and the exchange of medical expertise, as well as the exchange of experience in medical education. Last June, during the second phase of the Dubai Healthcare City development, the foundation stone was laid for the "Asan-UAE Hospital for Digestive Diseases." This project, by the Emirati investment company SCOPE, will be the first global branch of Asan Hospital, one of the largest hospitals and healthcare centers in South Korea, and will contribute to providing the latest healthcare services and educational opportunities in the field of gastroenterology. Many specialized Korean healthcare companies manage major hospitals in the UAE, owing to Korea's excellent reputation for medical care and the advanced technologies used in the healthcare sector and customer services.
