‘Sales diplomacy’ accompanied by economic missions
President Yoon Seok-yeol, who is visiting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Switzerland for 8 days and 6 nights, will depart for the UAE on the 14th, his first visit. President Yoon’s state visit to the UAE was accompanied by an economic delegation consisting of over 100 representatives of domestic companies, including heads of major groups such as Chey Tae-won, chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SK Group chairman), Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong, and Hyundai Motor Group chairman Chung Eui-sun. ‘ is the point of the tour.
According to the Presidential Office on the 13th, there are more than 30 government-private memorandums of understanding (MoUs) under discussion at the last minute to conclude on the occasion of President Yoon’s visit to the UAE. President Yoon’s first state visit to the UAE among former presidents is an opportunity to raise the level of economic cooperation between the two countries, including energy and defense, to an all-time high, the presidential office explained. A high-ranking official in the presidential office said there would be a specific announcement regarding defense exports to the UAE.
President Yoon will visit the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, the ‘first nuclear power plant export’ won by Korea during the Lee Myung-bak administration in 2009. It is reported that a contract for Korea to transfer additional technology related to the Barakah nuclear power plant to the UAE is being reviewed.
An official from the Presidential Office expressed expectations, saying, “It will repeatedly confirm the Moon Jae-in administration’s abolition of nuclear power plant policy and will serve as an opportunity to substantially improve the level of cooperation between the two countries.” President Yoon will then attend the World Economic Forum (WEF, Davos Forum) held in Davos, Switzerland on the 18th and 19th. He is the first Korean president in nine years.
Choi Sang-mok, senior presidential secretary for economic affairs, was confirmed to have a novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) and was unable to attend the tour. It is said that the vacant position of chief Choi will be filled by Lee Kwan-seop, senior secretary for national affairs and planning, who used to be the first vice minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Reporter Jang-Seok Jang jks@donga.com
Reporter Kwak Do-young now@donga.com
