UAE Pledges $30 Billion Investment
Mohammed UAE President's First State Visit Since Inauguration
3 Nights 4 Days of Various Protocols Provided to Yoon
[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] After completing a 3-night, 4-day state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), President Yoon Seok-yeol departed for Switzerland on the 17th (local time).
President Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon-hee left Dubai Royal Airport in the afternoon aboard Air Force One, the presidential aircraft, heading to Zurich, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF, Davos Forum).
President Yoon, dressed in a deep navy suit with a yellow tie, and First Lady Kim, wearing a yellow two-piece suit with a white blouse, stepped out of the vehicle.
President Yoon greeted and exchanged conversations with the officials present at the farewell ceremony. The farewell event was attended by UAE officials including Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth; Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Emirates and Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; and from the Korean side, Ambassador Ryu Je-seung and his spouse, as well as Consul General Moon Byung-jun and his spouse in Dubai.
President Yoon shook hands and spoke in turn with the farewell officials. First Lady Kim greeted and shook hands with Minister Noura Al Kaabi, followed by Ambassador Ryu and his spouse. Minister Al Kaabi is a senior official appointed as an 'honorary escort' by UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for First Lady Kim.
Before boarding, President Yoon and the First Lady took commemorative photos with the UAE farewell officials. After ascending the boarding stairs, the presidential couple waved their hands, then placed their hands over their chests in salute, expressing gratitude for the warm hospitality.
President Yoon’s state visit to the UAE from the 14th included a state luncheon, Korea-UAE summit meeting, visits to the Barakah nuclear power plant and the Aegis Combat System unit, the Korea-UAE Business Forum, and the Future Vision Dubai Forum. The visit yielded economic diplomatic achievements such as securing investment commitments worth $30 billion (approximately 40 trillion KRW) and signing 48 memorandums of understanding (MOUs).
Since the inauguration of President Mohammed, the UAE warmly welcomed President Yoon as the first state guest. When Air Force One entered UAE airspace on the 14th, four UAE Air Force fighter jets escorted the plane, and protocol, security personnel, and vehicles were provided in accordance with the state guest status. The presidential office reported that several Genesis G90 vehicles from Hyundai Motor Company were purchased and provided as official protocol vehicles for President Yoon’s official entourage.
The UAE provided multiple accommodations at the Emirates Palace Hotel, considered a VIP residence, and displayed the Korean national flag along the streets of Abu Dhabi city, projecting red and blue lights symbolizing the Taegeuk pattern on the presidential palace roof.
On the 15th, within the official presidential palace 'Al Watan Palace,' the UAE welcomed President Yoon in the main palace, the core of the complex. The official welcoming ceremony included a 21-gun salute, a military parade, a children's welcoming group, 80 mounted horsemen, 100 camel riders, traditional performances, and an airshow featuring seven fighter jets.
After completing the UAE visit, President Yoon plans to engage in various diplomatic schedules in Switzerland, including attracting investments from global companies at the Davos Forum, promoting the bid for the 2030 Busan Expo, and holding discussions with scholars in science and technology, covering economic security, sales, and public sectors.
On the 18th, the first day of the Davos Forum, a luncheon meeting with major domestic and international global company CEOs is scheduled. Attendees from Korea include Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Eui-sun, LG Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, Lotte Chairman Shin Dong-bin, and Hanwha Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan. From abroad, CEOs of leading global companies such as Intel, IBM, Qualcomm, and JP Morgan are expected to attend.
At the subsequent 'Korea Night' event, tailored international cooperation programs called the 'Busan Initiative' will be introduced to influential figures gathered in Davos to support the 2030 Busan Expo bid, alongside promotion of Korean culture. On the 19th, President Yoon will deliver a keynote speech on the direction of international cooperation to overcome the global economic crisis. Additionally, he plans to visit the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich to exchange views with scholars on quantum technology.
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