UAE, South Korea companies sign deal to expand nuclear energy cooperation

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) and South Korea-based Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C) have signed an agreement to jointly explore international nuclear energy opportunities.

Signed in Seoul, the deal provides a "comprehensive framework for knowledge sharing, collaborative evaluation of project participation, and assessment of strategic investment opportunities."

It also includes the formation of a joint working group to identify areas of mutual interest and support the development of future nuclear energy initiatives.

The collaboration between ENEC and Hyundai E&C builds on the longstanding strategic partnership between the UAE and Korea in the nuclear sector and supports both countries’ shared goals of advancing peaceful nuclear energy in line with IEA and IAEA projections for a significant global scale-up of nuclear capacity by 2030 and 2050 respectively.

With the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant fully operational, ENEC said it is now focused on working with global partners to support the acceleration of nuclear deployment and is committed to working with all "responsible" nations looking to deploy new nuclear or expand their existing fleets.

Hyundai E&C was the lead contractor in the construction of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, and a proven contributor to the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme, which is now recognised as a global benchmark for safe and efficient nuclear development.

The signing follows a series of recent agreements between ENEC and leading global operators, technology developers, and energy companies. These partnerships form an integral part of ENEC’s broader focus on identifying global investment, collaboration and deployment opportunities to support the rapid delivery of civil nuclear energy, driving energy security and sustainability through the provision of clean baseload electricity.

The successful construction of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, earned Hyundai E&C high praise from the global nuclear industry for demonstrating its unique risk management and construction capabilities.

As Korea and the UAE deepen their commitment to future cooperation in the energy sector, including nuclear, Hyundai E&C also plans to expand the horizon of their cooperation as a strategic partner, building on the trust and experience developed during the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant project.