South Korea, U.A.E. Sign MoU on Defense Cooperation

South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to improve cooperation in the defense industry and defense technology.

Eom Dong-hwan, Director of South Korea’s state arms procurement agency Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), signed the document with U.A.E. Tawajun Committee (Secretary General Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani) on January 15 in Abu Dhabi in the presence of President Seok-Yeol Yoon and U.A.E. leader Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The DAPA and the Tawajun Committee, which is in charge of defense acquisition of the U.A.E., will continue their efforts for joint investment, research and technology development in order to further develop cooperation in the defense industry and defense technology between the two countries.

The signing of this MOU is expected to solidify the “special strategic partnership” shared between the Republic of Korea and the U.A.E., and to contribute to the promotion of practical cooperation in the defense industry between the agencies in charge of defense procurement between the two countries.

Last year, the U.A.E. ordered Cheongung 2 (M-SAM 2) medium range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed by South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD) with technical support from Almaz-Antey and Fakel, based on technology from the 9M96 missile used on S-350E and S-400 missile systems.