Qatar, South Korea build on legacy, strategic ties in energy, ICT, smart farming

South Korean ambassador Yun Hyunsoo.

The governments of South Korea and Qatar are significantly expanding areas of co-operation, including collaboration in areas like renewable energy, smart agriculture, ICT, health, smart shipping, and logistics.

This was announced by South Korean ambassador Yun Hyunsoo during the ‘Korea-Qatar 50th Anniversary Future Forum’ held in Doha recently under the theme ‘50 Years and Beyond’.

In his speech, Yun stressed: “During President Yoon Suk-yeol’s historic state visit last year, the relationship between Korea and Qatar was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

“This marks a new era, filled with potentials, ambitions, and the promise of lasting progress together. Under this new partnership, the two countries now work more closely through frequent consultation and co-ordination on many policy issues of mutual interest.”

According to Yun, South Korea-Qatar trade stood at $16bn in 2023, marking a “4,000-fold increase” since both countries established diplomatic and economic ties 50 years ago. He stressed that Qatar is “a critical energy partner” for South Korea, exporting approximately “10mn tonnes of LNG annually.”

Citing the role played by South Korean companies in Qatar’s development, the ambassador stated that these firms participated in “over 130 construction and infrastructure projects,” including the Qatar National Museum, built by Hyundai E&C utilising cutting-edge technology.

Underlining the impact of climate change on global agriculture production, Yun emphasised that both nations could share best practices in deploying technology to address various issues, such as applying South Korea’s smart farming techniques that incorporate temperature-resistant techniques and water-efficient irrigation schemes.

“Another major issue that calls for close co-operation is energy transition. Most countries consider energy transition to be a necessity, not an option. There are many areas of co-operation between the two countries, such as renewable energy, hydrogen economy, and carbon capture and storage (CCS).

“Co-operation in hydrogen economy has significant potential. Korea is leading the establishment of a global hydrogen market and has declared to become a major hydrogen buyer. Qatar is exerting tireless efforts to become a leading producer of blue ammonia. If the strengths of the two countries combine, Korea and Qatar can lead the future global hydrogen market,” the ambassador stated.

Yun noted that ICT is also another potential area of collaboration between South Korea and Qatar. He said new and emerging technologies provide opportunities in multiple sectors, including education, employment, innovation, and research.

“Korea is a leading country in establishing new norms and sharing best practices in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). We hosted the ‘2nd AI Seoul Summit in May and this week, we successfully hosted the ‘Responsible AI in Military Domain (REAIM) Summit’ in Seoul. We are looking forward to becoming a reliable partner in contributing to the tech-propelled development of Qatar,” he stressed.

He added: “The significance of the Future Forum lies in its purpose: to reflect on Korea-Qatar co-operation and to chart the course for our future commitments. We will review our existing partnerships in political and economic sectors. We will examine how we can further strengthen our 50-year-long ties to another level.”