Al-Itihad, UAE, March 28
Last week, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and Moon Jae-in, President of South Korea, attended a celebration marking the opening of the UAE’s first nuclear reactor, built by the Korean Electric Power Company. The facility is the first nuclear power plant in the Arab world and will significantly help the Emiratis reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. Jae-in’s visit, however, evidences much more than the two countries’ growing collaboration on nuclear technology. The state visit of an acting Korean president demonstrates the deepening relations between the two powers on all levels. According to several foreign sources, Seoul and Abu Dhabi have already signed several military deals that will provide the latter with extensive training opportunities in Korea. In return, the UAE has opened its borders to hundreds of Korean laborers, while curbing the work visas issued to North Koreans who send remittances back to Pyongyang. The number of UAE citizens visiting South Korea, and vice versa, has also grown dramatically, with direct flights between the two capitals offered by both the Emirati and Korean national carriers. Indeed, Korea and the UAE share many common values. Both nations have invested immense resources into developing their societies through education, healthcare and a thriving economy. Similarly, both nations face growing security threats from their neighbors: namely, South Korea from Pyongyang and the UAE from Iran and its proxies in Yemen. The growing ties between the Korean and Emirati leaderships represents a pivotal geopolitical moment, with Abu Dhabi turning into an important player both regionally and globally. The UAE will continue to establish closer relations with a growing number of world powers that understand, and value, its innovation and entrepreneurship. – Mohammad Hamadi