Technology, healthcare, cultural partnerships spotlight forward-looking UAE-South Korea alliance

BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung begins a state visit to the UAE on Monday, underscoring a forward-looking partnership that has evolved and expanded within more than four decades and now extends across vital sectors, from technology and innovation to culture and healthcare.

These bilateral ties were recently highlighted in a meeting between His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and President Lee during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum last month. The high-level talks in Gyeongju focused on deepening cooperation across priority sectors, particularly in advanced technology and renewable energy. 
Cooperation in emerging tech and space science is evident in major collaborative projects, including those that have officially taken off and others still in the pipeline.

The Etihad-SAT, for instance, has been developed in partnership with South Korea’s Satrec Initiative, a solutions provider for Earth observation missions. Etihad-SAT, the first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, went into orbit earlier this year.

Driverless vehicles are also on the radar for tech firms in the two countries, highlighted by a major venture recently formed between the UAE’s Space42 and South Korea’s leading autonomous driving company, Autonomous A2Z.

Defence partnership is strengthening as Major General Staff Pilot Rashed Mohammed Al Shamsi, Commander of the UAE Air Force and Air Defence, held talks with South Korean Minister of National Defence Ahn Gyu-back at Seoul ADEX 2025. Both sides agreed to expand collaboration in advanced defence systems and explore new frontiers, including space, cyberspace, and AI, according to the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of National Defence.

In the medical field, the two countries have signed numerous agreements and cooperation frameworks covering medical evaluation and licensing programmes, hospital management, and the exchange of medical expertise, as well as collaboration in medical education.

In June last year, Dubai Healthcare City witnessed the ground-breaking of the Asan-UAE Digestive Diseases Hospital, part of its second phase of development. This project, led by UAE-based Scope Investment, will become the first global branch of Asan Medical Centre – one of South Korea’s largest hospitals and healthcare institutions – and will contribute to delivering advanced healthcare services and academic opportunities in digestive health.

Several specialised Korean healthcare companies also operate major hospitals in the UAE, thanks to Korea’s strong reputation in medical care, advanced technologies, and high-quality patient services.

Earlier this month, delegations from the two countries held talks in Seoul to explore pharmaceutical cooperation. During this meeting, the Emirates Drug Establishment has affirmed the designation of the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety as a reference authority, following a comprehensive study of the regulatory frameworks adopted in the Republic of Korea.

The robust bilateral partnership also extends to tourism and cultural exchange. More than 200,000 Korean tourists visit the UAE every year, supported by approximately 60 monthly flights operated by Emirates and Etihad Airways connecting Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Seoul.

Enhancing cultural relations, the Korean Cultural Centre has been established in Abu Dhabi, and a special Korean culture festival has become a major annual event in the UAE.

Additionally, branches of the King Sejong Institute have been opened in Sharjah and at Zayed University in Al Ain, where the number of students interested in learning the Korean language and culture continues to grow year after year.

In 2020, the UAE’s Ministry of Culture and Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism collaborated to launch the UAE-Korea Cultural Dialogue as a celebration marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries.