The 15th Korea-Middle East Cooperation Forum, organized by the Korea-Arab Society (KAS) and the Jeju Peace Institute(JPI) and hosted by the Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) with the support of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea was held in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on October 31. This is a track 1.5 forum participated by the private and public sectors and first launched in 2003, in Korea and the Middle East on a rotational basis.

This year’s forum under the theme “Korea-Middle East Partnership in the Era of the 4th Industrial Revolution” featured three sessions. The forum brought together about 200 people including incumbents, former high-level officials, politicians, business people, media and scholars. The participants exchanged knowledge and opinions on the development of the relationship between Korea and the Middle East to establish networks.

Those included H.E. Mr. Lee Taeho, 2nd Vice Minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Kim Jin Soo, Secretary-General of Korea-Arab Society, H.E Dr. Suh Chung-Ha, President of Jeju Peace Istitute, H.E. Prof. Jamal Sanad Al Suwaidi, Director General of The Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, H.E. Khaleefa Bin Salem Al Mansouri, Undersecretary of Department of Economic Development-Abu Dhabi, Dr. Park Hun Joo, Professor, Political Economy, International Relations of KDI school, Mr. Eng. Mohammed Bin Saeed, Strategic Partnerships Director, Korean Partnership team of Ministry of Economy and Planning, Mr. Abdulla Al Suwaidi, Acting Assistant Deputy Director General for Scientific Research, ECSSR, Dr. Kim Sanghoon, Director of Foreign Industry Division, KIET, Dr. Mohammed Al Majed, Senior Advisor and Acting Director, Innovation Center for Industry 4.0/Senior Advisor to the Chairman of Board of Taqnia, King Abdullah City for Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia, Dr. Ahmad Y Majdoubeh Professor&Vice President for Humanities of University of Jordan.

H.E. Mr. Lee Taeho, 2nd Vice Minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea, presented that it was time for the Korea and the Middle East to seek a paradigm of cooperation that befitted the 4th Industrial Revolution and other changes in the new era.

It served as an opportunity for all participants to discuss imperative issues in depth ways for Korea and the Middle East to develop mutual understanding and to build networks among them.