1. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha met with UAE Minister of State and Chief Executive Officer of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber on June 27.

2. The two Ministers noted with appreciation that the relations between the ROK and the UAE were elevated to a “special strategic partnership” during President Moon Jae-in’s visit to the UAE in March, and expressed hope that cooperation between the two countries would become a representative successful case of cooperation between Middle Eastern and Asian countries in the 21st century.

3. Minister Kang hoped that the elevation of bilateral relations into a special strategic partnership would lead to an increase in the trade volume between the two countries, which currently amounts to US$15 billion. She especially asked for the UAE government’s interest and support to increase Korean companies’ presence in the energy and petrochemical sectors in the UAE.

o Minister Al-Jaber said that as CEO of ADNOC, he was interested in enhancing cooperation with the ROK to a higher level in a range of areas not only in the upstream sector, but also in the downstream, and new and renewable energy sectors. He also expressed hope that cooperation between the two countries would also increase in new areas of cooperation, including education, healthcare and space.

3. The two Ministers exchanged views on the situations in the Middle East, and on the Korean Peninsula, and agreed to continue to strengthen cooperation not only on regional issues, but also on global issues, considering the special strategic partnership between the two countries.

* unofficial translation