Abu Dhabi, Mar 12th, 2011 (WAM)--The bilateral relations between the United Arab Emirates and South Korea are witnessing qualitative development in political, economic and cultural spheres, thanks to the keen interest of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the President of South Korea Lee Myung-bak, in promoting them to full economic and investment partnership.
President Lee Myung-bak's visit to Abu Dhabi Saturday is of particular significance as it is part of common interest in promoting, and adding momentum to the bilateral relations to make more achievements in the best interest of the two friendly countries and peoples. This is the second official visit to the UAE by South Korean President in less than two years. His first UAE visit in December 2009 saw the signing of a number of cooperation agreements between South Korea and the UAE. On December 27th, 2009, President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and visiting South Korean President Lee Myung-bak attended the signing of a series of landmark cooperation agreements between the UAE and South Korea. The two presidents patronised a grand ceremony for striking an AED 75 billion contract between the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) and a consortium of South Korean and US companies led by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) to design, build and help operate and maintain four civil nuclear power plants for the United Arab Emirates' peaceful nuclear energy program. The joint cooperation agreements were inked by UAE Foreign Minister H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and South Korea Minister of Knowledge Economy Choi Kyung-hwan. The agreements cover a framework protocol for boosting the economic partnership to further strengthen bilateral cooperation. Under the agreement, the two countries will set up a higher committee and a number of sub-committees to facilitate cooperation in diverse fields as peaceful nuclear energy, renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainability, information technology and communications, semi-conductors, shipbuilding and human resources development. The agreements cover a framework protocol for boosting economic partnership to further strengthen bilateral cooperation. Under the agreement, the two countries will set up a higher committee and a number of sub-committees to facilitate cooperation in diverse fields as peaceful nuclear energy, renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainability, information technology and communications, semi-conductors, shipbuilding and human resources development. Towards enforcing the framework agreement, the two sides also sealed three complementary agreements including a memorandum of understanding between Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and Korean Ministry of Knowledge Economy for facilitating joint cooperation in renewable energy. A multi-lateral agreement on education and human resources development was concluded between Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research (KUSTAR) and Institute of Applied Technology and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Korea Electric Power Corporation, Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD) and Korea Development Institute. A multi-lateral agreement on education and human resources development was concluded between Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research (KUSTAR) and Institute of Applied Technology and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Korea Electric Power Corporation, Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD) and Korea Development Institute. The Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre and Korea Development Institute reached an agreement for exchange of information and communications technology. In a statement after the ceremony, the UAE President said relations of friendship between the UAE and South Korea were progressing steadily and hoped these new agreements would take a qualitative leap in bonds between the two friendly countries. "Our relationship with South Korea, which has seen sustainable growth in recent years, and has ushered into a new era of strategic partnership which will serve interest of the two countries," Sheikh Khalifa said. As he welcomed his Korean counterpart, Sheikh Khalifa hoped his visit would further bolster joint cooperation in various domains. For his part, the Korean Head of State said he was grateful to the UAE for awarding the multi-billion contract to the consortium of Korean companies and for forging strategic partnership with his country. He pledged to maximise efforts to push bilateral relations ahead. After the signing ceremony, UAE Foreign Minister H.H Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: 'As negotiations between the UAE and South Korea on peaceful nuclear energy advanced, the two governments discovered the huge potentials for joint cooperation in various fields."For his part, South Korea Minister of Knowledge Economy Choi Kyung-hwan expected "the agreement on economic partnership to lay a solid foundation for expanding bilateral cooperation, which is based on energy and resources." He expressed hopes that "the said partnership would expand to include communications technology and renewable energy."In May 2010, His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, made an official three-day visit to South Korea upon an invitation from President Lee Myung-bak. During the visit, Sheikh Mohammed and South Korean officials discussed matters of common concern as well as ways to further bilateral relations in various domains between the United Arab Emirates and South Korea. He underscored the deep relationships between the UAE and South Korea, noting that they undergo strategic development thanks to the support and directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Sheikh Mohammed also stressed that the deal worth AED 75 billion won by the South Korean-led consortium is the largest in the history of the two nations' relationship. MMSCopyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2011.
