South Korea, UAE Forge AI Partnership with Strategic Task Force

South Korea is stepping up its artificial intelligence ambitions with a new partnership with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The presidential AI committee announced on Monday that a joint task force will be formed to drive AI cooperation, building on agreements made during last week’s summit between President Lee Jae Myung and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The task force will be co-led by the presidential secretary for AI policy and future planning and the vice chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). Its goal is to establish a collaborative public-private framework and identify major investment and development projects to be realized within the year.

The initiative will involve five specialized working groups, each guided by relevant ministries including the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy. During the Seoul-Abu Dhabi summit, both leaders emphasized joint development and marketing in AI, as well as integrated projects spanning AI, energy, and defense sectors.

Seven memorandums of understanding were signed to strengthen cooperation, with South Korea joining the UAE’s Stargate project to develop AI and energy infrastructure. The Stargate project aims to create an AI data center cluster in Abu Dhabi, starting with a 200-megawatt facility next year as part of a larger 5-gigawatt AI campus.

Amid these international moves, South Korean markets faced a cautious session. The KOSPI index dropped 0.19 percent to 3,846.06 after a steep fall on Friday, reflecting lingering concerns about AI-related stocks. Foreign investors initially boosted trading hopes, but later turned to net sellers, weighing on the index.

With this strategic partnership, South Korea and the UAE aim to position themselves as leaders in AI innovation, energy development, and cross-border technological collaboration.