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Fighter jets and instant noodles: Korean business leaders flock to UAE as exports to Gulf nation grow

Published: 18 Nov. 2025, 19:05 Updated: 18 Nov. 2025, 19:12

Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong is seen entering the Seoul Gimpo Business Aviation Center in Gangseo District, western Seoul, to depart for the United Arab Emirates on Nov. 17. [YONHAP]

Top Korean business leaders, including Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, are heading to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as interest grows in the Gulf nation’s role as a hub for Korean exports — from defense, energy and automobiles to cosmetics and instant noodles.

Lee will attend the Korea-UAE Business Roundtable in the UAE on Wednesday alongside Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung and Hanwha Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan, according to the business community on Tuesday.

The event follows a summit meeting on Oct. 31 in Gyeongju between President Lee Jae Myung and Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi, held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting. Executives from SK, LG, HD Hyundai, LIG, Doosan Enerbility, Korea Electric Power Corporation and Samyang Foods will also join the roundtable, representing industries such as artificial intelligence, mobility, defense, energy and food.

Drawing these big-name business leaders to the region is the growing value of the UAE as an export destination. Korean exports to the UAE reached $4.3 billion from January to October this year, up 2.9 percent from the same period last year, according to the Korea International Trade Association (KITA).

In October alone, exports rose by 9.9 percent on year. This stands in contrast to declining exports to key markets like China, down 3.8 percent, and the United States, down 5 percent, which have been hit in the aftermath of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff hike earlier this year.

Exports to the UAE grew across a wide range of products. Passenger car exports rose by 13.2 percent to $415 million. While U.S. brands such as Ford and Chevrolet, and Japanese brands such as Toyota and Nissan, still dominate the market, sales of midsize SUVs suitable for families have been steadily increasing, according to the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.

Hyundai Motor is planning to bolster its presence in the region through a new manufacturing subsidiary in Saudi Arabia.

Uranium exports also surged by 36.5 percent year on year to $227 million. The fuel is used in the Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE — a Korean-built facility with four reactors in commercial operation. Korea supplies all the fuel used in the facility.

Cars ready for export are seen parked at a port in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi on Nov. 14. [YONHAP]

Lee recently stated in a UAE media interview that, based on the success of the Barakah plant, the two countries would enter "a new era of cooperation."

Other Korean exports to the UAE also saw notable growth: cosmetics rose by 59.1 percent, tobacco products by 41.7 percent, smartphones by 110.1 percent, instant noodles by 5.6 percent and electric cables by 168.7 percent.

With the UAE’s rapid population growth and strong purchasing power backed by oil wealth, the country is considered an up-and-coming consumer market. The boom in Korean pop culture and media has also helped expand market opportunities for Korean products and brands.

From Saturday to Tuesday, the 2025 K-Expo in Dubai drew a record 226 Korean companies in industries including content, food, beauty, consumer goods, sports and publishing.

Samyang Food's instant noodle, or ramyeon, products are seen on display at a large supermarket in Seoul on Nov. 6. [YONHAP]

Korean companies also see growing opportunities in the UAE’s defense sector. The country spends the second-most on defense in the Middle East, after Saudi Arabia, dedicating 5.2 percent of its GDP to military spending as of last year.

The UAE previously purchased Korean-made Cheonmu multiple rocket launchers and Cheongung-II medium-range surface-to-air missiles. It has recently expressed interest in acquiring the supersonic KF-21 fighter jet.

“While energy remains a traditional pillar of Korea-UAE relations, opportunities in advanced industries, infrastructure and urban technologies are rapidly expanding,” said Chang Sang-sik, head of KITA’s Institute for International Trade. “The UAE is emerging as a strategic economic partner, offering both stability and growth potential.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY NA SANG-HYEON [[email protected]]