UAE to celebrate South Korean National Day

The UAE will celebrate South Korea’s National Day on October 3 highlighting the strong bilateral ties between the countries dating back 40 years.

The two sides are long-term partners in the sectors of clean energy, oil, tourism, logistical services and culture.

However, the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant is a key strategic joint project and a turning point in their relations.

The plant will fulfil 25 percent of the UAE’s energy needs upon operating at full capacity, reducing emissions by 21 million tonnes per annum.

The UAE is the second-largest oil exporter to South Korea and the second leading trade importer from South Korea in the Middle East.

South Korea’s key exports to the UAE include electronics, vehicles, oil equipment and facilities while the key Emirati exports include raw oil, oil products, aluminium and liquefied petroleum gas.

In September, during the seventh edition of the UAE-South Korea Joint Economic Committee, both parties agreed to reinforce their cooperation in ten key sectors that include science and information technology, agricultural technology, renewable energy, public transport systems, oil and gas and infrastructure, and healthcare and medical services.

They also agreed to intensify their response to the COVID-19 pandemic and exchange expertise in medical, educational, tourism and intellectual property areas while expanding their government's channels of cooperation.

Tourism is also a priority area as the number of Emirati citizens visiting South Korea amount to 11,000 per year while over 200,000 South Korean citizens visit the UAE annually for tourism.

In January 2020, the two countries launched the UAE-Korea Cultural Dialogue 2020 to ensure continuous communication, promote cultural convergence, and strengthen artistic, media and sports cooperation, as well as their cooperation in the areas of heritage, literature, language, performing arts, visual arts, creative cultural industries and related technologies.

During the COVID-19 crisis, the UAE and South Korea presented a leading example of cooperation and solidarity between countries, through the exchange of experiences, expertise and government procedures for countering the pandemic.

The UAE also helped evacuate South Korean citizens and their families from Tehran during the peak of the virus in the region.