Seoul: South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and his United Arab Emirates (UAE) counterpart Mohammad Al-Mazrouei engaged in discussions on Tuesday to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation and explore joint development in the arms industry.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the defense chiefs convened in Seoul for the ministerial Joint Higher Military Committee meeting. This meeting occurred less than a month after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and UAE President Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan expressed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), the defense industry, and energy sectors during their summit talks in Abu Dhabi, as reported by Seoul's Defense Ministry.
During the meeting, Ahn highlighted that cooperation in defense and the arms industry has been central to their bilateral relationship. In response, the UAE defense chief emphasized that such cooperation would form the foundation for a mutually beneficial relationship, according to the ministry.
In terms of defense, the ministers agreed to enhance cooperation in high-tech areas, including cyber affairs, space, and AI. They also considered personnel exchanges, military education, and combined drills for mid- to long-term planning.
Regarding the arms industry, both parties agreed to develop a cooperative model aimed at the joint development and export of weapons systems, as stated by the ministry.