South Korea and the United Arab Emirates have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish regular bilateral meetings between their air forces, the South Korean Air Force said Tuesday.
The agreement was signed during a meeting between South Korean Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Lee Young-soo and Maj. Gen. Rashed Mohammed A. Al Shamsi, commander of the UAE Air Force and Air Defense, at the South Korean Air Force Headquarters in Gyeryong, South Chungcheong Province.
The UAE is the first Middle Eastern country to hold regular Air Force-to-Air Force talks with South Korea. The initiative was launched following Lee’s visit to the UAE in March, during which both sides acknowledged the need for enhanced coordination, according to the South Korean Air Force.
Under the agreement, the two air forces plan to hold meetings every six months.
During their meeting, Lee and Al Shamsi discussed regional security conditions on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East and reaffirmed their commitment to defense and defense industry cooperation.
“Our Air Force has already been regularly participating in Desert Flag and the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Operational Course (IAMDOC) hosted by the UAE,” Lee said. “We will continue to further expand military exchanges and joint training efforts.”
Lee also pledged support for the UAE’s upcoming deployment of South Korea’s Cheongung-II, a medium-range surface-to-air missile system. He said South Korea would assist in training UAE personnel to ensure the successful integration and operation of the system.
The following day, the two commanders will also visit Sacheon Air Base in South Gyeongsang Province to sign a letter of intent on broader cooperation involving the KF-21, a 4.5-generation supersonic fighter jet developed by South Korea.
The letter is expected to outline plans for UAE Air Force personnel to observe future KF-21 training sessions. A pilot from the UAE Air Force is also scheduled to fly in a KF-21 prototype alongside a test pilot from Korea Aerospace Industries.
Meanwhile, Al Shamsi is also expected to meet with Defense Acquisition Program Administration Minister Seok Jong-gun and Korea Aerospace Industries CEO Kang Goo-young to explore further defense cooperation.
The South Korean Air Force added that it would participate again in the Desert Flag 2025 exercise, set to take place from Monday to May 8 at Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE.
Desert Flag is a large-scale multinational air combat exercise hosted annually by the UAE Air Force to strengthen interoperability and combined operational capabilities among participants.
This year’s edition includes 13 countries: South Korea, the UAE, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey and India. South Korea has participated in the exercise every year since 2023.
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