UAE President Sheikh Mohamed arrives in South Korea on first leg of Asia visit

The UAE’s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan landed in Seoul on a two-day state visit to South Korea.

The landmark tour is the first state visit by a UAE president to South Korea and follows an invitation from South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The UAE President’s aircraft entered Korean airspace in the early hours of Tuesday, and it was escorted by military aircraft in a gesture of respect and welcome, reported state news agency WAM.

Sheikh Mohamed is being accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Advisor for Special Affairs at the Presidential Court; Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology; Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Minister of Investment; Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade and other officials.

Today I arrived in Seoul, where I will join @President_KR Yoon Suk Yeol in discussing ways to advance the Special Strategic Partnership between the UAE and Republic of Korea. Through economic partnership and close people-to-people ties, our nations are determined to achieve…

— محمد بن زايد (@MohamedBinZayed) May 28, 2024

The official welcome ceremony will feature an air show by South Korean Air Force’s Black Eagles acrobatic team, complemented by traditional performances.

Following the ceremony, President Yoon and President Mohamed will hold a summit to explore collaboration opportunities in sectors such as energy, defence, and investment.

Industry leaders in South Korea

His itinerary includes engagements with prominent business figures in the South Korean capital on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The UAE president is expected to meet key business leaders, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Group’s Euisun Chung, and SK Group’s Chey Tae-won, among others, reported The Korea Times.

Reciprocal visits

President Yoon previously visited the UAE in January 2023, marking the first state visit by a Korean leader since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1980.

The bilateral relations between the #UAE and #South_Korea are experiencing growing momentum in various fields.
The volume of the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade with South Korea reached AED 19.4 billion in 2023. The UAE is South Korea’s second-largest Arab trading partner.
🇰🇷🇦🇪 pic.twitter.com/qRnNpGuWqS

— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) May 28, 2024

China visit

Following the South Korea visit, Sheikh Mohamed will embark on a state visit to China starting Thursday, May 30, following an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The discussions between Sheikh Mohamed and President Xi will take place under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework, which aims to enhance sustainable development and economic growth in both nations.

During his visit, Sheikh Mohamed will also attend events commemorating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the UAE and China. Additionally, he will participate in the 10th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum.

Read: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed to embark on China state-visit