The Korea Times
As Iranian ballistic missiles and drones crossed the Arabian Gulf in their hundreds following the U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, a South Korean missile system was among the first to respond. The Cheongung-II batteries the United Arab Emirates earlier purchased from Seoul as part of a bilateral defense export agreement were quietly integrated into Abu Dhabi's air-defense network, intercepting incoming threats at a reported 96 percent success rate. The UAE’s adoption was not surprising given how its bilateral relations with Korea have deepened over the years. The UAE’s 1,000-dirham banknote features the Korea-built Barakah Nuclear Power Plant on the back, one of symbols of their close ties. Seoul quietly opened a rather unusual regional office for the Agency for Defense Development in Abu Dhabi in 2022, and the two countries signed a $35 billion MOU on defense cooperation just a few days before the conflict. And while Seoul has denied linkage, many suspect the UAE’s decision to supply 24 million barrels of crude oil to South Korea as the “No.1 priority” was driven by deepe
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