President Lee to Meet UAE’s Khaldoon Today to Discuss Expanding Cooperation in Defense, AI, and Nuclear Power

Reviewing Follow-Up Cooperation Since Last Year’s State Visit to the UAE
Khaldoon, the UAE's Senior Official for Korea
Meeting and Luncheon with Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik

President Lee Jae-myung will meet with Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and the senior official in charge of Korea relations for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on September 18 to discuss ways to expand strategic cooperation between the two countries in areas such as defense, defense industry, artificial intelligence (AI), and nuclear power.

President Lee Jae-myung is taking a commemorative photo with Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), before a meeting at the Blue House on January 15, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The Blue House announced that President Lee will hold a meeting with Chairman Khaldoon at 2 p.m. at the Blue House on this day. The meeting is expected to serve as an opportunity to review the progress of practical cooperation between the two countries, which has been accelerating since President Lee's state visit to the UAE in November last year, and to discuss new areas for collaboration.

During the meeting, President Lee is set to highlight the continued high-level exchanges and sectoral cooperation between the two countries since his state visit, and convey his regards to UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Chairman Khaldoon is the “official in charge of Korea affairs” overseeing bilateral cooperation between the UAE and Korea. He serves as a key channel responsible for translating summit-level agreements into concrete projects and coordinating major bilateral issues.

Since last year's summit diplomacy, the two countries have expanded their cooperative relationship from its traditional focus on defense, the defense industry, nuclear power, and energy to future growth areas such as AI and advanced industries. In the upcoming meeting, follow-up cooperation measures in fields of shared strategic interest—including defense, the defense industry, AI, culture, nuclear power, and space—are expected to be discussed extensively.

Before his meeting with President Lee, Chairman Khaldoon will also hold a separate meeting and luncheon with Kang Hoon-sik, Chief Presidential Secretary and Korea’s designated official for UAE affairs. Both sides are expected to focus on measures to accelerate the implementation of cooperative projects agreed at the summit level, while continuing sustained high-level exchanges.

The Blue House stated, “An in-depth exchange of views is expected on topics of mutual interest, including expanding high-level exchanges and cooperation in defense, the defense industry, AI, culture, nuclear power, and space between the two countries.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.