1. During his visit to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to preside over a meeting of the heads of the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Korea in Africa and the Middle East, Second Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met with Under-Secretary Mohamed Mir Abdullah Al Raisi of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In their meeting, the Vice Minister and the Under-Secretary exchanged views on matters of mutual concern, including ways to promote bilateral relations, including high-level exchanges; ways to boost economic and development cooperation; ways to increase substantive cooperation regarding the Barakah nuclear power plant, health and medical care, Halal food, public security and Hallyu (Korean Wave); and cultural and youth exchanges.

2. The Vice Minister and the Under-Secretary noted with appreciation the robust high-level exchanges between the two countries, including the ROK President’s visit to the UAE in March 2015 and the ROK-UAE Foreign Ministers’ meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in September 2015. They agreed to continue to strengthen cooperation in diverse sectors by building upon the bilateral strategic partnership.

* The ROK and the UAE forged strategic partnership in 2009 when the ROK won the deal for the Barakah nuclear power plant.

3. With regard to the construction of the Barakah nuclear power plant, a symbol of the ROK-UAE cooperation, the Vice Minister and the Under-Secretary welcomed the smooth progress in the project, as can be seen from the recent ceremony marking the concrete deposition at the site of the fourth reactor on September 2. They voiced hope that in addition to the construction of the nuclear power plant, overall nuclear cooperation will be taken a notch higher, including in such areas as the education of workers and the assistance in the management of nuclear power plants.

4. The Vice Minister and the Under-Secretary noted with appreciation that the ROK and the UAE have lately been seeing the scope of their cooperation broaden to encompass not only such traditional sectors of cooperation as energy and construction but also new areas of growth, including health and medical care, Halal food, public security, investment, education and culture. In addition, they reviewed the progress in the follow-up measures to the ROK President’s visit to the UAE in March.

◦ In particular, Vice Minister Cho noted the ongoing growth of the number of UAE tourists to the ROK to receive medical service in the country. Under-Secretary Mohamed conveyed satisfaction with the medical service provided by the Korean hospitals operating in the UAE.

◦ Furthermore, Vice Minister Cho mentioned that the Korean Cultural Center in the UAE, scheduled to open in early 2016, will serve as a catalyst for taking bilateral cultural exchanges to a higher level. Under-Secretary Mohamed welcomed the forthcoming opening of the Korean Cultural Center in the UAE, saying that Korean culture is enjoying great popularity in the country.

5. The meeting is seen to have served as an opportunity to reaffirm the solid friendly and cooperative ties between the ROK and the UAE; to review the progress in substantive cooperation in diverse new sectors for growth; and to further accelerate efforts to promote cooperation.


* unofficial translation