Defense Minister Seo Wook and Defense Acquisition Program Administration Chief Kang Eun-ho on Tour to UAE and India

Defense Minister Suh Wook is delivering opening remarks at the ROK-US Defense Ministers' Meeting held at the Ministry of National Defense building in Seoul on the afternoon of the 17th. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter]Defense Minister Seo Wook will make official visits to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India by the 28th.

On the 22nd, the Ministry of National Defense announced that this trip aims to resume high-level defense diplomacy activities that were postponed last year due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and to revitalize defense exchange and cooperation.

To this end, Minister Seo departed from Incheon International Airport on a commercial flight the previous afternoon. Invited by Mohamed Ahmed Al Bowardi, UAE Minister of State for Defense Affairs, he will stay in the UAE until the 24th to carry out official schedules including the Korea-UAE high-level regular talks.

During the high-level regular talks, they plan to discuss military exchanges and defense cooperation measures between Korea and the UAE.

The Ministry of National Defense also stated that Minister Bowardi and other key UAE military officials will be met during the visit.

During his visit to the UAE, Minister Seo will also visit the Aegis Unit, which marks its 10th anniversary of deployment this year. The Aegis Unit, whose name means 'brother' in Arabic, has been dispatched since 2011 at the request of the UAE. It conducts joint training with the UAE Special Forces and carries out missions such as supporting UAE military training and protecting Koreans in the UAE in emergencies.

On the 25th, he will move to India, the second country on his itinerary, and hold a bilateral meeting with Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh the following day.

India participates in the Quad, a consultative group with the United States, Australia, and Japan, which is regarded as a mechanism to check China. Also, since U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin visited India shortly after his recent visit to Korea, it is expected that the meeting will include sharing assessments on international affairs as well as current issues between Korea and India.

Minister Seo will also attend the opening ceremony of the 'Korea-India Friendship Park,' established in India in 2019 by agreement between the two countries' leaders. On the day of the opening, a memorial unveiling ceremony will be held to honor the sacrifice and dedication of the Indian military, which dispatched the largest medical support unit during the Korean War.

A Ministry of National Defense official said, "This trip will serve as an opportunity to further deepen defense and defense industry cooperation with the UAE and India, key allies in the Middle East and South Asia with whom we have established a 'Special Strategic Partnership.'"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.