K-Culture 'Middle East Boom' Accelerates... Korea-UAE Cultural Cooperation

Ministry of Culture and UAE Youth Ministry Sign Memorandum of Understanding
Park Bo-gyun: "Various Cooperation Projects Gain Momentum"

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Culture and Youth are expanding cultural cooperation on the occasion of President Yoon Suk-yeol's state visit. On the 16th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that Minister Park Bo-gyun and Noura Al Kaabi, UAE Minister of Culture and Youth, will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to broaden exchanges in various fields such as content, traditional culture, arts, and book fairs. The final draft is being polished, with plans to complete the signing within this week.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Based on this, the two countries will closely share experiences and policies in the fields of culture and arts. A Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism official expressed expectations that "various cooperative projects such as mutual participation as guest countries in book fairs, book exchanges between the national libraries of both countries, and human exchanges in the arts and content sectors will gain momentum and be actively promoted." Minister Park Bo-gyun stated, "The signing of the cultural cooperation MOU with the UAE, a cultural powerhouse in the Middle East, is a diplomatic achievement following President Yoon Suk-yeol's state visit," adding, "We will systematically support K-Culture to fully enter the second 'Middle East boom,' expand its global horizon, and strengthen its competitiveness."

The Korea Creative Content Agency, an institution under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, will also sign MOUs with Index Holdings and the Dubai Film and TV Commission during this visit. Index Holdings is a content company that organizes the Dubai International Content Market. The Dubai Film and TV Commission is a public institution related to content.

The UAE is a leading cultural industry powerhouse in the Middle East, pursuing post-oil and industrial diversification. According to a May announcement by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority last year, Dubai's cultural industry attracted over $1.3 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2021, ranking second worldwide. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has showcased Korean culture centered on the Korean Cultural Center in the UAE, established in 2016 to strengthen cooperation with the UAE. In October last year, a K-pop concert was held to commemorate the opening of the Korea Creative Content Agency UAE Business Center, and in November, immersive Hallyu content experience centers were established in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. At the end of this month, BLACKPINK's world tour concert will be held at Etihad Park in Abu Dhabi.