UAE Korea Defence Industries Forum Explores Partnership Opportunities In Localisation

Emirati and Korean defence companies met in Abu Dhabi at the LIG Supplier Engagement and Localisation Forum, organised by Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement, to discuss industrial localisation, supply chain integration, and potential partnerships focused on technology transfer and joint manufacturing within the defence sector.

The event closed with structured B2B meetings, where representatives from companies in both countries examined collaboration options, reviewed how Emirati firms could integrate into Korean-led supply chains, and discussed frameworks for direct partnerships designed to build a mutually beneficial defence industrial ecosystem over the long term.

Senior participation underlined the importance of the LIG Supplier Engagement and Localisation Forum, with Dr. Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi, Secretary-General of Tawazun, attending alongside Hyonbin Hong, Senior Vice President of LIG Group, as well as senior executives, officials, and delegations from a broad range of Emirati and Korean defence companies.

LIG, described as one of Korea’s leading companies in the development and manufacture of advanced defence systems, delivered a detailed presentation outlining its industrial experience, current product portfolio, and its strategy to expand cooperation in the UAE through technology transfer, joint manufacturing, and long-term partnerships with national defence manufacturers.

The forum also examined how Korean suppliers contribute to specialised subsystems and technical components within LIG’s global supply chains, and explained how Emirati companies could join these networks, localise specific capabilities, and build direct relationships with Korean partners to support broader industrial integration and reinforce bilateral defence cooperation.

Shareef Hashim Al Hashmi, Director-General of Industry Development Directorate at Tawazun, said, "Forums of this nature play an important role in turning strategic ambitions into practical collaboration, by bringing together industrial stakeholders and decision makers in a single setting for open dialogue and the exchange of expertise."The LIG Suppliers and Industrial Localisation Forum, which brings together national defence companies and their Korean counterparts, provides a focused platform to explore industrial integration opportunities, define priority localisation areas, and develop partnerships centred on technology transfer and joint manufacturing."In doing so, the forum contributes to aligning national industrial capabilities with global supply chain standards, supporting the sustainable growth of the local defence industry and enhancing its long-term preparedness," Al Hashmi added.

Throughout the LIG Supplier Engagement and Localisation Forum, chief executives and senior officials from several Korean defence companies and suppliers presented overviews of their technologies, manufacturing capacities, and partnership models, providing Emirati participants with clearer insight into where cooperation, localisation, and component-level integration may be most feasible within existing and future programmes.

The structure of the LIG Supplier Engagement and Localisation Forum highlighted Tawazun’s continued role as a coordinator between local and international defence stakeholders, while the exchanges established new channels for dialogue that are expected to support ongoing work on industrial localisation, technology transfer, and supply chain alignment between Emirati and Korean defence industries.

With inputs from WAM