For the first time, Korea's started installing
its nuclear reactor abroad, in the United
Arab Emirates.
Taking into account the importance of Seoul
and Abu Dhabi's economic cooperation, President
Park took a short trip to the Gulf nation
to attend an installation ceremony.
Choi You-sun reports.
For the first time ever, a Korean nuclear
reactor will be installed overseas in the
United Arab Emirates.
It's part of a 19-billion-U.S. dollar contract
Korea won to build four nuclear plants in
the Gulf nation by the year 2020.
To mark the occasion, President Park Geun-hye
and the UAE's deputy prime minister Mansour
bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended a ceremony at
the Barakah nuclear plant site Tuesday, some
3-hundred kilometers west of the capital Abu
Dhabi.
The presidential office in Seoul says the
533-ton reactor, which recently passed the
UAE nuclear regulator's safety tests, symbolizes
the global recognition of Korea's nuclear
reactor technology and safety.
Seoul and Abu Dhabi also signed three memorandums
of understanding, through which Korea hopes
to create job opportunities for young Koreans
in the Arab nation.
The MOUs include the Emirates Nuclear Energy
Corporation hiring some 10 Korean engineering
graduates each year, and the two countries
jointly fostering their service industries
in the nuclear sector.
Sitting down with Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan after the ceremony,
President Park discussed two-way cooperation
in the areas of energy, construction, medicine
and finance.
Despite the Sewol-ho ferry disaster, officials
say President Park made the short two-day
trip in consideration of future economic cooperation
between the two nations.
Before heading home, she met with members
of Korea's Ark military unit,... which has
been deployed to the UAE since 2011 as part
of Seoul-Abu Dhabi military cooperation.
Connie LEE, Arirang News.
