Departure Scheduled for November 13 as Special Envoy for Strategic Economic Cooperation
Fourth Overseas Trip Following Visits to Poland, Romania, and Norway
Discussions on Building Cooperation Models in Defense, AI, and Advanced Industries
Chief Presidential Secretary Kang Hoonshik will visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on November 13 to promote "K-Defense" sales. He is visiting as a Special Envoy for Strategic Economic Cooperation, a role assigned by President Lee Jaemyung. During his stay in the UAE, Kang plans to discuss not only defense and military industry cooperation but also the strengthening of partnerships in cutting-edge industries, including artificial intelligence (AI).
According to the Presidential Office, Kang will depart for the UAE from Incheon International Airport later today. This marks his fourth overseas trip since being appointed as Special Envoy for Strategic Economic Cooperation on October 17, following visits to Poland, Romania, and Norway. In these European countries, Kang delivered President Lee's personal letters and conveyed a strong commitment to broad-based support, including financial assistance, technological cooperation, and collaboration with defense industry startups.
An official from the Presidential Office stated, "Kang has been reappointed as a special envoy and will visit a key partner country in the Middle East," adding, "He plans to discuss building a strategic economic cooperation model that encompasses AI, the defense industry, advanced manufacturing, culture, food, and healthcare."
There is also a high likelihood that Kang will meet again with UAE Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohammed Al Nahyan. Kang previously accompanied President Lee to a bilateral summit with the UAE held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, and is known to have had a separate meeting with the Crown Prince. During the summit, President Lee emphasized, "The UAE is the only country in the Middle East that has established a special strategic partnership with the Republic of Korea," expressing his hope that "the relationship between the two countries will develop even further."
The UAE has long shown strong interest in Korean weapons systems. In 2022, the two countries signed a contract worth approximately 4 trillion won for the export of the Korean ballistic missile interception system, Cheongung-II. With the Dubai Airshow, the largest aerospace exhibition in the Middle East, taking place next week in the UAE, Kang is expected to actively promote major Korean weapons systems such as the KF-21 supersonic fighter jet.
The government plans to establish the UAE as a hub for K-Defense exports to the Middle East. This comes as global security conditions are rapidly changing and countries are increasingly interested in adopting advanced defense products. Previously, Kang explained that his visits to European countries were motivated by the changing security environment and the resulting competition to acquire new weapons, noting that it is an opportune moment for Korean defense companies to enter the European market and establish new growth bases. The Presidential Office stated that it will announce additional Middle Eastern countries for enhanced cooperation at a later date.
In addition to defense and military fields, efforts will also be made to strengthen cooperation in AI and advanced industries. The UAE has created a ministerial position dedicated to artificial intelligence and set a goal for the AI industry to contribute 13.6% of its GDP by 2030. Next year, the UAE plans to adopt AI and digital industries as core national policy agendas, expanding the application of AI to public sectors such as healthcare, education, and the environment.
Meanwhile, before departing for Europe as a Special Envoy for Strategic Economic Cooperation on October 19, Kang told reporters, "It may be difficult to secure every project currently underway, but my goal for this visit is to do my utmost to increase the number of contracts secured," and added, "President Lee has said that if even a small effort is needed to contribute to national wealth creation, then it is only right for the Chief Presidential Secretary to go."
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