President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook enjoy a meal after looking around the desert some 170 km from Abu Dhabi on March 26. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi hosted President Moon’s brief tour of the desert.

By Yoon Sojung

Photos = Cheong Wa Dae Facebook

President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook flew back home on March 28 after wrapping up their official visit to the UAE.

Their three-night-five-day itinerary included not only the first summit between President Moon and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, but also various other scheduled items, all designed to strengthen the friendship between Korea and the UAE.

The friendship between the two countries was reflected in President Moon’s itinerary.

President Moon and first lady Kim were invited to the private residence of the crown prince of Abu Dhabi where they received unprecedented hospitality.

Upon arriving at the residence, the crown prince and all of his family warmly welcomed President Moon and his spouse at the gate.

President Moon told the UAE leader that, “You`ve shown the highest possible level of hospitality and sincerity by inviting us to your private residence and introducing us to your family. This is not only for me personally, but also for all the Korean people.”

The crown prince responded by saying that, “Allah made us meet each other and become close friends and allies, and the UAE will always be with Korea and take sides with Korea.”

Earlier that day, the two leaders showed humility and friendship when they drove to the Barakah nuclear energy plant in a car that the crown prince drove himself to attend a commemoration ceremony there.

After attending the ceremony, President Moon had a chance to experience the desert first-hand some 170 km from Abu Dhabi, where he also enjoyed a traditional Emirati falconry demonstration. All these events were hosted by the crown prince of Abu Dhabi.

President Moon Jae-in (left) holds up a bird of prey perched on his arm on his way back to Abu Dhabi after attending a commemoration ceremony in Barakah on March 26.

The friendship between the two countries has also spread to friendships and cultural exchanges among the two peoples.

President Moon and first lady Kim attended a Korea-UAE festival where they enjoyed the range of performances on offer, from the traditional to contemporary arts, from both countries, and had a chance to chat with some UAE locals.

While visiting the Akh Unit in Sweihan, 100 km from Abu Dhabi, the next day, President Moon also highlighted the bilateral ties between Korea and the UAE.

President Moon told the dispatched Korean soldiers there that, “The Akh Unit is a symbol of defense cooperation between Korea and the UAE, and serves as the corner stone to developing our bilateral relationship into that of brother countries.”

The word akh means "brother" in Arabic.

Before flying back to Seoul on March 28, President Moon wrote on his personal Facebook profile that, “The Republic of Korea and the UAE have become brother countries. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi and I share a friendship as calm and as deep as the desert.”

“The UAE has been ambitiously leading changes across the Middle East, and we will work with the UAE to complete its dream and to achieve development in both countries.”

“Although I`m now departing the UAE, I will never forget its heart as hot as the desert,” said President Moon.

The crown prince of Abu Dhabi also called President Moon his “dear friend,” expressing their friendship.

The UAE leader said on his Twitter feed on March 26, alongside a photo of the Barakah power plant, that, “All thanks are due to President Moon, our Korean friends and to joint efforts that have resulted in the first stage of this giant project being completed.”

The crown prince also said that the UAE now “has a productive partnership that serves our higher interests and we shall do everything to make it grow even stronger.”

President Moon Jae-in (second from left) and first lady Kim Jung-sook applaud during a joint Korea-UAE festival at the Abu Dhabi National Theater on March 26.

President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook pose for a selfie with one of the Korean soldiers dispatched to the UAE while visiting Korea`s Akh Unit in Sweihan, about 100 km into the desert from Abu Dhabi, on March 27.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi writes about his friendship with President Moon Jae-in and his bright vision for Korea-UAE cooperation on his personal Twitter feed on March 26.

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