Seoul: South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have reached an agreement to collaborate on the Middle Eastern nation's significant artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure initiative, the presidential office announced on Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the two countries signed a framework agreement on strategic AI collaboration during a summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. Ha Jung-woo, the presidential secretary for AI policy and future planning, informed reporters about the agreement. "We will participate in the UAE's Stargate project to jointly establish AI and energy infrastructure," Ha stated, estimating the initial investment by global companies in the project at 30 trillion won (US$20.5 billion).
The UAE's Stargate project is focused on building a cluster of AI data centers in Abu Dhabi, starting with a 200-megawatt facility expected to be operational next year, as part of a planned 5-gigawatt AI campus.
The agreement is one of seven memorandums of understanding (MOUs) signed during President Lee's state visit to the UAE, aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation in advanced industries, including AI, nuclear energy, aerospace, and health care. Under the MOU, the two nations will cooperate on investment, infrastructure, supply chains, and the deployment of AI and advanced technologies, as well as engage in joint research and development.
Additionally, the two countries agreed to collaborate on shipping and logistics projects based on "physical AI," which involves integrating AI into physical systems. This initiative will commence with a pilot project at South Korea's Busan Port and Abu Dhabi's Khalifa Port.
During the summit, discussions also covered ways to enhance cooperation in the defense industry, including the joint development, production, and export of weapons systems to third countries. Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, mentioned that President Lee's visit has improved prospects for Korean defense exports and joint market entry into third-country markets.
Kang noted, "The establishment of an integrated cooperation model is expected to significantly increase the likelihood of Korean defense companies winning contracts in defense export projects worth more than US$15 billion. It will also pave the way for expanding into markets not only in the Middle East and Africa but also in Europe, North America, and other regions."
On the same day, the Korea Electric Power Corporation and the UAE's Emirates Nuclear Energy Company signed an agreement to collaborate on developing new technologies, including small modular reactors and the integration of AI into nuclear power plants, facilitating joint entry into global markets.
Space exploration is another critical area of strategic cooperation in advanced technologies. The two nations have agreed to deepen collaboration in the aerospace sector, including joint satellite development and satellite navigation infrastructure. The agreement sets the stage for sharing expertise and technology in lunar and Mars exploration, as well as for jointly developing and operating satellites.
Other MOUs address the implementation of the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed last year, as well as strengthened cooperation in intellectual property rights. CEPA is a type of free trade agreement encompassing a broader scope of economic cooperation and exchanges beyond market opening, requiring parliamentary ratification to take effect. The UAE is the first Middle Eastern nation to sign such a deal with South Korea.