South Korea and the United Arab Emirates have signed a sweeping framework agreement to deepen cooperation on artificial intelligence, energy infrastructure, and advanced industries, marking one of the most ambitious tech partnerships between the two nations to date.

The accord was finalized during a summit in Abu Dhabi between President Lee Jae-myung and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to Ha Jung-woo, Seoul’s presidential secretary for AI policy and future planning.

Ha said Korea will join the UAE’s massive Stargate initiative — a plan to build a cluster of AI data centers in Abu Dhabi beginning with a 200-megawatt site coming online next year, eventually scaling to a 5-gigawatt AI campus. Global companies’ initial investment in the project is estimated at 30 trillion won ($20.5 billion).

7 MOUs Across AI, Energy, Defense, Space

The AI pact was one of seven MOUs signed during President Lee’s state visit, expanding bilateral cooperation across AI, nuclear energy, aerospace, health care, and supply chains.

Under the AI agreement, the two countries will collaborate on investment, infrastructure, joint R&D, and deployment of advanced technologies. They also agreed to begin a shipping-and-logistics pilot project linking Korea’s Busan Port with Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Port, applying “physical AI” systems that blend artificial intelligence with real-world operations.

Nuclear, and Space Partnerships Deepen and Economic Ties Broaden Under CEPA

In the nuclear sector, Korea Electric Power Corporation and the UAE’s Emirates Nuclear Energy Company signed a new agreement covering small modular reactors and AI integration into nuclear plant operations — enabling joint entry into global markets.

Space collaboration will also expand, with agreements on joint satellite development, satellite navigation systems, and shared expertise in lunar and Mars exploration.

The two nations also advanced implementation of their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).