1. On March 5, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al-Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed the “Memorandum of Understanding between the Foreign Ministries of the Republic of Korea and the UAE on the Establishment of a Korean Cultural Centre in the UAE for the Promotion of Cultural Cooperation.” The heads of state of the two countries also attended the signing ceremony that took place in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi.

2. Under the MOU, the two Foreign Ministries will work closely together through diplomatic channels toward an early establishment of a Korean Cultural Center in Abu Dhabi. Should the UAE decide to set up its cultural center in Seoul, the two sides will cooperate toward it based on the principle of reciprocity.

◦ The Korean Cultural Center in Abu Dhabi, when set up, will mark the second of its kind in the Middle East after the one established in Egypt in 2014 and the first in a member country of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

3. With the conclusion of the MOU, a foundation is seen to have been laid for further stepping up promotion of Korean culture in the Middle East. Going forward, the two countries are expected to work more closely together in not only the sectors of culture, arts and education but also the joint development of cultural contents and web portals for online cultural exchange. 


                Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation