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| President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during his visit to a South Korean Special Warfare Unit base in UAE, Abu Dhabi, known as the Akh unit, Sunday (local time). Yonhap |
Yoon describes UAE as 'brother country' during visit to Korean troops
By Nam Hyun-woo
ABU DHABI ― President Yoon Suk Yeol said Sunday (local time) that South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) face similar security situations, with the South grappling with threats from North Korea and the UAE menaced by Iran. Yoon even described the UAE as "a brother country."
The president made the remarks during his visit to the Akh unit, a South Korean Special Warfare Unit base in Abu Dhabi, on the second day of his state visit to the Middle Eastern country.
"You are here because the UAE is our brother nation," Yoon told the troops. "And (defending) our brother nation's security is as important as that of South Korea's. The UAE's enemy ― the most threatening nation ― is Iran and our enemy is North Korea… We are in a very similar position to the UAE."
The remarks came after Yoon and his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, held a summit and agreed to elevate the two countries' special strategic partnership further and expand bilateral cooperation across all industries. During the summit, Sheikh Mohamed promised to make $30 billion worth of investments in South Korean companies to "express the UAE's trust in South Korea."
Yoon made the comments to stress the two countries' deepening ties. But his remarks could spark controversy as he mentioned a third country, Iran, while highlighting the importance of South Korea's bilateral relations with the UAE.
As Yoon said, there have been tensions between the UAE and Iran as Tehran's nuclear ambitions pose a threat to the security of the entire Middle East. The two countries have also been in dispute over the sovereignty of three islands ― Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs ― which are currently occupied by Iran.
Despite this situation, the UAE has been trying to improve its relations with Iran.
Last year, the UAE restored full diplomatic relations with Iran and returned its ambassador to Tehran, six years after Abu Dhabi downgraded ties. The move was part of the UAE's efforts to engage in talks amid heightened tensions after the U.S. quit the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which is a pact by global powers and Iran to cut Tehran's nuclear capacity. The U.S.' exit triggered Iran to resume the enrichment of uranium over a certain percentage as part of countermeasures.
Seoul's foreign ministry said the remarks were made as he encouraged the soldiers of the Akh unit which contributes to the peace and security of the UAE and explained the complex security environment to the soldiers of the unit.
"The Akh unit is non-combatant, and its main duties include education and training for the UAE military and protecting our people in the case of an emergency," its official said.
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