Home > National > Diplomacy

Seoul agrees to collaborate with Abu Dhabi on UAE's Stargate AI project

Published: 18 Nov. 2025, 22:19 Updated: 19 Nov. 2025, 12:46

President Lee Jae Myung, left, and United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan hold summit talks at the presidential palace in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 18. [YONHAP]

Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday agreed to cooperate on the Middle Eastern nation's major AI infrastructure initiative, the presidential office said.

The two countries signed a framework agreement on strategic AI collaboration during a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, Ha Jung-woo, presidential secretary for AI policy and future planning, told reporters.

"We will participate in the UAE's Stargate project to jointly establish AI and energy infrastructure," Ha said, estimating global companies' initial investment in the project at 30 trillion won ($20.5 billion).

The UAE's Stargate project aims to build a cluster of AI data centers in Abu Dhabi, beginning with a 200-megawatt facility set to come online next year as part of a planned 5-gigawatt AI campus.

The agreement is one of seven memorandums of understanding (MOUs) signed during Lee's state visit to the UAE to expand bilateral cooperation in advanced industries, including AI, nuclear energy, aerospace, health care and other sectors.

Under the MOU, the two countries will cooperate on investment, infrastructure, supply chains and the deployment of AI and advanced technologies, as well as joint research and development.

The two nations also agreed to collaborate on shipping and logistics projects based on "physical AI," referring to the integration of AI into physical systems, beginning with a pilot project at Korea's Busan Port and Abu Dhabi's Khalifa Port.

Ha Jung-woo, left, the presidential secretary of AI policy and future planning, explains the outcome of President Lee Jae Myung's summit with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a briefing in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 18. [YONHAP]

During the summit, the two countries also discussed ways to expand 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, said during the briefing.

Kang said Lee's state visit to the UAE has boosted the outlook for Korean defense exports and opportunities for joint entry into third-country markets.

"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 $15 billion," Kang said. "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 Tuesday, the Korea Electric Power Corporation and the UAE's Emirates Nuclear Energy Company also signed an agreement to cooperate on developing new technologies, including small modular reactors and the integration of AI into nuclear power plants, paving the way for joint entry into global markets.

Space was another key area of strategic cooperation in advanced technologies.

The two nations also agreed to deepen cooperation in the aerospace sector, including joint satellite development and satellite navigation infrastructure.

According to the presidential office, the agreement lays the groundwork for sharing expertise and technology in lunar and Mars exploration, as well as the joint development and operation of satellites.

Other MOUs cover 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 FTA that encompasses a broader scope of economic cooperation and exchanges beyond market opening and requires parliamentary ratification to take effect. The UAE is the first Middle Eastern nation to sign such a deal with Korea.

Yonhap