South Korea, UAE sign MoU on $35 billion defence cooperation

SEOUL - South Korea and the United Arab Emirates have signed a memorandum  of understanding to promote defence cooperation that  would be worth  more than $35 billion, Seoul's presidential envoy said on Thursday.

The defence projects will be in areas spanning anti-air defence,  air force and navy, Kang Hoon-sik, who is President Lee Jae Myung's chief of  staff, told reporters as he returned from the UAE.

This latest MoU builds on momentum from President Lee Jae-myung's state visit to Abu Dhabi in November 2025, where the two countries signed seven agreements spanning artificial intelligence, space, nuclear technology, and defence.

 At that time, Seoul's presidential office projected combined economic benefits of $35 billion from defence and AI sectors, including potential contracts exceeding $15 billion through joint development, local production in the UAE, and co-export of weapons systems to third countries.

The February 2026 MoU appears to crystallize and expand the defence component of that vision. It follows years of growing cooperation.

The agreement aligns with the UAE's push to diversify defence suppliers, localize production, and build indigenous capabilities under its broader national security strategy.

The deal arrives amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, including ongoing US-Iran standoffs and regional security concerns. Enhanced UAE-South Korea defence ties could contribute to Gulf states' efforts to bolster layered air and missile defences while deepening South Korea's role as a reliable non-Western partner in advanced military technology.