Kang Hoon-sik, the Chief of Staff to the President of South Korea, announced that during a recent visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the two nations agreed to collaborate on projects totaling $65 billion. This includes a significant investment of $35 billion dedicated to the defense industry, which has seen its collaboration nearly double from the previous agreement reached at a summit last November, where they initially discussed $15 billion in defense cooperation. The current agreement reflects an ongoing strengthening of ties between South Korea and the UAE, especially in strategic sectors like defense.

The agreement was formalized at a briefing where Kang highlighted the importance of multi-faceted collaboration that goes beyond mere weapon sales to encompass design, training, and maintenance as part of a comprehensive defense cooperation framework. This new framework is expected to solidify cooperative efforts between the two countries, enhancing trust and further integrating their defense sectors. The initiative involves various South Korean governmental departments, indicating a whole-of-government approach to international cooperation and defense collaboration.

Kang noted that trust between the nations' leaders and their historical cooperation made this significant agreement possible. Although specific details of the defense collaborations were not disclosed, he mentioned high-tech areas, including integrated air defense systems and naval power enhancements, as potential focus areas. The agreement aligns with prior commitments made during state visits and underscores Korea and UAE's shared interests in advancing comprehensive partnerships across defense, artificial intelligence, and other strategic domains.