Korea will join the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) ambitious artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure initiative, commonly referred to as Stargate UAE, which is expected to rank among the largest globally.
The Stargate project, spearheaded by American firms such as OpenAI, aims to establish AI data centers in Abu Dhabi with a starting investment surpassing 30 trillion won ($22 billion) and a potential capacity of as much as 5 gigawatts.
The two nations revealed the decision following President Lee Jae Myung’s bilateral meeting with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during Lee’s official visit to the Middle Eastern nation.
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With the project advancing towards launching a 200-megawatt data center next year, Korea intends to capitalize on its strengths in energy, batteries, sustainable solutions, and climate technology. Korean officials state that the initiative will likely generate considerable opportunities for Korean AI startups and data center experts to enhance their footprint in the international market.
Alongside their collaboration on the Stargate project, the two nations finalized seven memorandums of understanding (MOUs) designed to enhance partnerships in advanced sectors — encompassing nuclear technology, AI, bio health, intellectual property, and space, including shared satellite development and satellite navigation systems.
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“I'm visiting the Middle East for the first time since assuming my role less than six months ago, and the UAE is the first nation I am visiting as a state guest,” Lee stated at the summit. "Korea is prepared for extensive collaboration for the upcoming century of partnership between the two countries." We share numerous areas of mutual interest that are strategically significant, including national security, defense, artificial intelligence, nuclear energy, and healthcare.
Lee emphasized the UAE's position as Korea’s sole special strategic partner in the Middle East and Africa, recalling previous collaboration on the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant and the sending of the Korean Akh military unit to the region.
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He commended the UAE's impressive growth, noting: “Even as one of the world’s leading six oil producers, your country has accomplished remarkable advancement not through natural resources but through technology and private-sector creativity.”