Sheikh Zayed started partnership for the long term

Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, set the groundwork for a country that now attracts thousands of South Koreans to live and work, the Korean ambassador says.

“The late Sheikh Zayed introduced a political system espousing moderate Islamism and guaranteed free commerce, which helped to attract the best minds of the Arab world,” said the ambassador, Park Kang-ho.

“As a result, approximately 9 million of the country’s 10 million are foreign nationals.

“As its population grew, the presence of global businesses followed and out of 196 Fortune 500 companies that have footholds to enter the Middle East markets, more than 130 use the UAE as their outpost in the region.

“The number of Korean businesses that have settled in the UAE is no less than 170.”

The UAE gave South Korea its first contract to build nuclear reactors abroad.

“Building on this momentum, our two countries forged a strategic partnership and have further expanded the scope of co-operation into national defence, health care and medical services, public security and education,” Mr Park said.

“The UAE is now the largest importer of Korean-made goods among African and Middle East countries. Along with Saudi Arabia, it is also one of the largest overseas construction markets for Korea.”

Seoul National University Hospital manages the Sheikh Khalifa Specialty Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah, where 230 South Koreans work.

More than 3,500 Emirati patients visit Korea each year for treatment at the UAE Government’s expense.

In 2016, the first Korean Cultural Centre in the Gulf was opened in Abu Dhabi.

“The Korean community is growing continuously so that one of every two Korean residents in the Middle East are now living in the UAE,” Mr Park said.

“The country serves as a bridgehead for Korea’s advance into the Middle East.”

Korea and the UAE have solidified the basis of co-operation for high-tech industries with DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2, the UAE’s first science satellites, made in Korea.

“Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, mentioned Korea as a partner for a century many times.”