KITA, ADIO co-host webinar on Korea-Abu Dhabi economic cooperation

The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) co-hosted the Korea-Abu Dhabi Economic Cooperation Webinar with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) on Tuesday.

The event was organized to introduce South Korean companies to expanding industrial cooperation opportunities following the entry into force of the South Korea-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in May, and to share strategies for entering the Middle East market. The webinar is the first in a series that will cover promising cooperation sectors in Abu Dhabi — beginning with advanced manufacturing and mobility, and continuing through e-commerce, healthcare, consumer goods and energy.

In his opening remarks, Lee Sang-jun, head of KITA's international cooperation division, said the CEPA's entry into force was driving the gradual elimination of tariffs on major goods and drawing attention to cooperation in advanced industries such as mobility, AI and renewable energy. "We hope this becomes an opportunity for South Korean companies to better understand Abu Dhabi's investment environment and new business opportunities," he said.

Alessandro Borgogna, head of cluster development at ADIO, said in a keynote address that Abu Dhabi was actively supporting investment and market entry by innovative companies to expand its advanced manufacturing and smart mobility ecosystem. "We look forward to strengthening strategic partnerships with South Korean companies and building a cooperative model that allows us to grow together," he said.

The webinar covered Abu Dhabi's business environment, strategies for entering the advanced manufacturing sector, an introduction to the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster, UAE market-entry procedures and incentives, and case studies of companies already operating in the market.

Onoud Al Marzouqi, ADIO's head of industrial development, outlined opportunities for South Korean companies in the electric vehicle supply chain and precision manufacturing sectors. Ali Al Hashimi, head of SAVI, introduced Abu Dhabi's key mobility industry hubs, including the KEZAD industrial complex and Masdar City. Kim Du-yeon, chief executive of B2G business development firm Alliance Compass, then presented case studies of South Korean companies pursuing proof-of-concept projects with the Abu Dhabi government in AI, autonomous driving and defense.

KITA plans to hold a follow-up webinar later this month covering e-commerce, healthcare and consumer goods, with a session on energy and resources cooperation scheduled for August.

Meanwhile, KITA has been stepping up efforts to support South Korean companies' global expansion and promising startups — having recently hosted the 2026 Vietnam International Premium Consumer Goods Fair at the SECC exhibition center in Ho Chi Minh City, and co-organizing NextRise 2026, Seoul, a leading Asian startup fair, with Korea Development Bank at Coex in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.