South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol received an honor guard welcome Sunday on a trip to the United Arab Emirates as he hopes to expand its military sales here.
Yoon's visit comes as South Korea conducts business deals worth billions of dollars and stations special forces troops to defend the UAE, an arrangement that drew criticism under his liberal predecessor.
Now, however, it appears the conservative leader wants to double down on those military links even as tensions with neighbouring Iran have already seen Tehran seize a South Korean oil tanker in 2021.
“I think that the situation in the Middle East is changing very rapidly when it comes to geopolitics,” said June Park, a fellow with the International Strategy Forum at Schmidt Futures.
“So Korea wants to make sure some of the strategic partnerships and the components ... With the UAE."
Yoon arrived at Qasr Al Watan palace in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. He was greeted by Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who took office in May after serving as the country's de facto ruler for years.
An honour guard of traditionally dressed Emiratis greeted Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee.
They twirled model Lee-Enfield rifles alongside troops on camelback and horseback. Inside, a military band played the South Korean and Emirati national anthems.
After the ceremony, Yonhap quoted Sheikh Mohammed as saying the UAE planned to invest USD 30 billion in South Korea. “We decided to make the investment with confidence in the Republic of Korea that keeps its promises under all circumstances,” he said.
The report did not elaborate.
While energy-hungry South Korea does rely on the Emirates for just under 10 per cent of its crude oil supply, Seoul has struck a series of deals far beyond oil with this nation of seven sheikhdoms that closely tie the nation to Abu Dhabi.
South Korea's trade with the UAE is into the billions of dollars worth of cars, material and other goods.