Korea-UAE Defense Ministers Hold High-Level Military Committee: "Cooperation on Joint Defense Industry Development and Export"

The defense ministers of South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) convened a high-level military committee to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in defense and the defense industry. In particular, the two defense ministers agreed to establish a cooperation model in the defense industry sector based on joint development, local production, and joint export to third countries.

The Ministry of National Defense announced that Minister Shin Kyuguek held the 11th Korea-UAE Joint High-Level Military Committee (JHMC) meeting with Mohammed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of State for Defense Affairs, at the Ministry of National Defense headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, on December 9. Since 2011, South Korea and the UAE have held the Joint High-Level Military Committee as a ministerial consultative body, and this meeting was the first in about three years since February 2023.

During the meeting, the two defense ministers highly evaluated the defense and defense industry cooperation that has been carried out between the two countries so far. Minister Shin especially emphasized, based on the positive momentum created by the joint declaration titled "A New Leap Forward for a Century-Long Partnership" at the bilateral summit in November, that the two countries should make a significant leap forward in defense and defense industry cooperation to build a future-oriented partnership.

In this meeting, the two ministers exchanged views on the security environment and key issues related to defense and defense industry cooperation. In the field of defense, they agreed to incorporate personnel exchanges, military education, and joint training into their mid- to long-term plans, and to actively consider signing memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between relevant departments for new cooperation agendas such as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense, medical services, and military music. They also agreed to deepen and expand cooperation in future high-tech fields such as cyber, space, and artificial intelligence (AI).

In the defense industry sector, the two sides agreed to move beyond a simple export and procurement structure and to build a cooperation model based on joint development, local production, and joint export to third countries. They will also deepen strategic cooperation for mid- to long-term defense industry collaboration and actively support the UAE military in acquiring independent operational capabilities for Korean defense equipment.

Additionally, the two ministers expressed their shared commitment to further strengthen bilateral defense and defense industry cooperation through the convening of the Joint High-Level Military Committee, and agreed to revitalize working-level consultations through each subcommittee.