Accompanied by Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Chairman Chung Eui-sun
President Yoon Suk-yeol visited the Baraka nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Jan. 16 (local time).
The Baraka nuclear power plant is the first nuclear power plant exported by South Korea and the first nuclear power plant in the UAE, an oil producing country.
President Yoon's visit to the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant was accompanied by heads and CEOs of companies in charge of designing and constructing the nuclear power plant, including Chairman Lee Jae-yong of Samsung Electronics, Chairman Chung Eui-sun of Hyundai Motor Group, President Cheong Seung-il of KEPCO and President Hwang Joo-ho of KHNP.
On the UAE side, UAE President Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan as well as UAE Deputy Prime Minister Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan were present.
In addition to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on the previous day under the leadership of the two countries, additional achievements related to energy and defense such as nuclear power plants were made on the same day.
Korean companies such as Samsung C&T and Hyundai Heavy Industries have achieved a total of 7.5 trillion won in economic cooperation with UAE companies in energy, defense, bio, and smart farms.
President Yoon said, "Two of the four planned nuclear power plants are in operation, and the other two will soon start operations, which represents a special strategic partnership between South Korea and the UAE."
"As Team Korea has shown the technology and experience of the Korean nuclear power industry, it is time for Korea and the UAE to work together to create expanded results such as further nuclear cooperation and joint entry into third countries," he said.
"We hope that this state visit will serve as a watershed for the two countries to seek comprehensive and strategic energy cooperation such as hydrogen, renewable energy, and carbon storage and capture beyond nuclear power," he said.
President Yoon said in a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of 'Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week' held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC) on Jan. 16, "We are rapidly restoring the ecosystem of nuclear power plants, which are carbon-free, and expanding the supply of clean energy such as renewable energy and hydrogen."