South Korean president begins state visit to UAE

By Ibrahim Al-Khazen

ABU DHABI, UAE (AA) – South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived in Abu Dhabi on Saturday for the start of his first state visit to the United Arab Emirates.

Yoon was greeted at the airport by UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the Emirati state news agency WAM reported.

The visit is the first by a South Korean president to the Gulf nation since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1980.

During his visit, Yoon will hold talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.

"Choosing the UAE for the first foreign trip of the year and the first visit to a country in the Middle East reflects President Yoon's firm commitment to focusing our diplomacy on vitalizing the economy and increasing exports," said national security adviser Kim Sung-han.

According to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, Seoul and Abu Dhabi will sign around 30 memorandums of understanding involving the governments and the private sector, with energy, arms, and investment among the key areas of cooperation.

The president will leave the UAE on Tuesday for Zurich, Switzerland, to attend the Davos forum.

* Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report