A high-level UAE delegation led by the UAE Ministry of Investment has visited the Republic of Korea to advance bilateral cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor investment, reinforcing the economic diversification agenda and strategic focus on future technologies of the Emirates.
The delegation was headed by Mohammad Abdulrahman Alhawi, Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Investment, and included Abdulla Saif Al Nuaimi, UAE Ambassador to Korea, alongside representatives from AI national champions Core42 and MGX, government-backed research bodies Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) and Technology Innovation Institute (TII), and leading investment institutions, including Mubadala and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA).
Korea-UAE forum highlights AI & semiconductor cooperation
The delegation took part in the ‘Korea-UAE AI Infrastructure and Semiconductor Investment Cooperation Forum’, co-organized by Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, and the Presidential Council on National AI Strategy. The forum builds on a joint working group formed during the UAE’s state visit to Korea in November 2025, aimed at fostering collaboration in AI infrastructure, models, and services.
During high-level bilateral meetings, both sides recognized the strength of each country’s national AI strategies and agreed to establish a structured cooperation framework to accelerate AI ecosystem development amid global competition. Alhawi participated in panel discussions exploring practical collaboration models, while Korean companies presented investment pitches in AI semiconductors, infrastructure, and technology.
Technology site visits and strategic outcomes
The UAE delegation toured leading Korean technology and semiconductor facilities to deepen collaboration across the AI supply chain. Alhawi emphasized the growing momentum in UAE-Korea investment relations, citing the UAE’s $30 billion investment commitment in Korea in 2023 and past collaborative projects such as the Barakah nuclear plant and the Stargate AI data center campus.
HE Mohammad Abdulrahman Alhawi Undersecretary – UAE Ministry of Investment
“The UAE and Korea share a forward-looking partnership anchored in a common ambition to lead in the industries of tomorrow. Our investment relationship has been gaining significant momentum, propelled by the UAE’s $30 billion investment commitment in the brotherly Republic of Korea announced in 2023, and underpinned by a track record of transformative collaboration in energy, AI, and beyond, from Korea’s pivotal role in the delivery of the Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi to its participation in the UAE’s Stargate AI data center campus.”
Ryu Je Myung, Second Vice Minister of Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT, highlighted that, “By combining Korea’s strengths across AI semiconductors, data centres, models, and services with the UAE’s investment prowess, we will develop practical cooperation models that deliver measurable outcomes, including high-efficiency AI data centres and participation in the UAE’s Stargate AI campus.”
Advancing the UAE as a global AI hub
The visit aligns with the UAE’s ambition to expand international cooperation in priority sectors, strengthen its position as a global AI hub, and reinforce the Ministry of Investment’s role in facilitating long-term investment partnerships to support economic diversification objectives.
