South Korea - UAE Relationships

The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Korea enjoy a longstanding and steadily evolving bilateral relationship that has continued to flourish since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1980. The Republic of Korea opened its Embassy in Abu Dhabi that same year, while the United Arab Emirates inaugurated its Embassy in Seoul in 1987.

Since then, bilateral cooperation has expanded significantly across a wide range of sectors. Relations were elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2009, with the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant standing as one of the landmark achievements of this partnership. In 2018, the relationship was further elevated to the level of a Special Strategic Partnership.

The close cooperation between the two countries has led to the establishment of several high-level strategic mechanisms, including the Strategic Dialogue between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Annual Defense Ministers' Meeting, the 2+2 Dialogue between the Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense, the High-Level Consultations on Nuclear Cooperation, the Joint Economic Committee, and the Joint Consular Committee. The two countries have also concluded numerous agreements and memoranda of understanding across various fields, including the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

High-level exchanges between the leadership of the two countries remain a cornerstone of this partnership. His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, paid an official visit to the Republic of Korea in May 2024. Previously, His Highness visited the Republic of Korea in 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2019 in his capacity as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. President Lee Jae-myung paid an official visit to the United Arab Emirates in November 2025. Earlier presidential visits included those by President Lee Myung-bak in 2009 and 2011, President Park Geun-hye in 2014 and 2015, President Moon Jae-in in 2018 and 2022, and President Yoon Suk Yeol in 2023.

The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Korea enjoy a distinguished and longstanding strategic economic partnership built on mutual trust, economic complementarity, and expanding cooperation across energy, trade, investment, infrastructure, defense, advanced industries, and technology. This partnership reached a new milestone with the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in May 2024.

In 2025, the UAE’s exports to the Republic of Korea reached approximately USD 14.12 billion, led by energy resources and natural resource-based products, Including iron, steel, aluminum and copper products. During the same year, the Republic of Korea's exports to the United Arab Emirates totaled approximately USD 5.7 billion, driven by strong demand for industrial goods, automobiles, machinery, electronics, defense products, and advanced technologies. Non-oil trade between the two countries reached approximately USD 6.9 billion in 2025.

Mutual investment remains a key pillar of the economic relationship. Korean investments in the United Arab Emirates are concentrated in construction, infrastructure, energy, engineering, logistics, and manufacturing projects across the country. In 2023, the United Arab Emirates announced a USD 30 billion investment commitment in strategic sectors of the Korean economy, including nuclear energy, hydrogen, renewable energy, semiconductors, defense industries, and advanced technologies.

The United Arab Emirates also serves as one of the Republic of Korea's principal regional hubs for business in the Middle East. As economic cooperation has expanded, the number of Korean companies operating in the UAE has continued to grow, reaching approximately 178 companies in 2025, spanning commercial operations, representative offices, and project activities. By comparison, 11 Emirati companies operate in the Republic of Korea.

Direct air connectivity between the two countries plays an important role in supporting trade, investment, tourism, business travel, and institutional cooperation. UAE national carriers, including Emirates and Etihad Airways, operate direct flights linking Dubai and Abu Dhabi with Seoul, with a combined total of 21 weekly flights.

The United Arab Emirates is home to a rich and diverse cultural heritage that spans thousands of years. The UAE is committed to preserving and documenting this heritage for future generations while maintaining a balance between tradition and modernity. In this spirit, the UAE has sought to strengthen cultural ties with the Republic of Korea. The two countries signed a Cultural Cooperation Agreement in 2007, laying the foundation for numerous cultural initiatives and exchange programs in both countries.

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the UAE and the Republic of Korea designated 2020 as the "Year of Cultural Dialogue." The initiative was subsequently extended through 2021 to sustain cultural exchange despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, the Emirate of Sharjah participated as the Guest of Honor at the Seoul International Book Fair, where the UAE delegation showcased Arabic literature, translation, and intercultural dialogue through exhibitions, seminars, and cultural events. In the same year, the Republic of Korea was the Guest of Honor at the Sharjah International Book Fair, presenting a rich program of Korean cultural and literary activities to audiences in the UAE.

In 2024, the Sharjah Institute for Heritage inaugurated a cultural monument on Nami Island in the Republic of Korea, inspired by the traditional Emirati Al Ayala performance. The monument symbolizes the friendship between the two countries, promotes cultural dialogue, and reflects the UAE's commitment to preserving and showcasing its cultural heritage abroad.

In December 2025, the Seoul Museum of Art hosted Approaches, the first major exhibition of contemporary Emirati art in the Republic of Korea. Organized in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, the exhibition featured more than 110 works of art aimed at deepening cultural understanding between the two countries.

During President Lee Jae-myung's official visit to the United Arab Emirates in 2025, the two countries also announced the development of the Korean City in the UAE project, a future-focused hub designed to bring together Korean culture, advanced industries, and innovation.