President Yoon Suk Yeol shakes hands with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during their visit to Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi, Monday (local time). Yonhap

Additional nuclear plants in either UAE or UK possible

By Nam Hyun-woo

ABU DHABI ― Korea's campaign to export nuclear reactors and related facilities is gaining fresh momentum on the occasion of President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as the two countries agreed to cooperate for additional nuclear projects in either the UAE or third countries, such as the U.K.

Yoon will wrap up his state visit to the UAE on Tuesday afternoon (local time), after fruitful summit diplomacy, including securing the UAE's commitment to invest $30 billion in Korean companies guaranteed through a joint declaration and a total of 48 memoranda of understanding (MOUs) signed between the two countries.

Nuclear energy is one of the areas that is expected to facilitate bilateral cooperation.

While promising an astonishing amount of investment, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said his country decided to do so in recognition of the successful construction and operation of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, which was built by Korean companies.

During the leaders' visit to the nuclear plant on Monday, Yoon noted, "Now is the time for both Korea and the UAE to join hands to create additional nuclear power partnerships in the UAE and other countries."

This is also mentioned in the joint statement between the two countries announced on late Monday.