Korea IT Cooperation Centre Launches at Dubai Internet City

The National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA), supported by the Government of the Republic of Korea, inaugurated its Korea IT Cooperation Centre UAE (KICC UAE) regional office at Dubai Internet City during GITEX Global 2024, taking place from October 14 to 18.

This marks NIPA's first center in the Middle East and its sixth global hub, following locations in Silicon Valley, Singapore, India, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City.

The launch builds on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed at last year's GITEX Global with Dubai Internet City, a leading technology hub. KICC UAE aims to foster collaboration between Korean tech businesses and regional innovators, facilitating entrepreneurship and talent development. The center will help Korean companies establish strategic relationships in the Middle East, enhancing their expansion efforts.

The inauguration event was attended by Vice Minister Kang Do-hyun of the Korean Ministry of Science and ICT, Abdulla Belhoul, CEO of TECOM Group PJSC, and Ammar Al Malik, Executive Vice President of Commercial at TECOM Group PJSC and Managing Director of Dubai Internet City, among other dignitaries.

Vice Minister Kang emphasized the significance of the new center in reinforcing bilateral cooperation, stating,

“This establishment represents a milestone in the digital sector.”

NIPA President Sung-Wook Hur added,

“KICC UAE will connect Korean entrepreneurs with their UAE counterparts, leveraging Dubai’s strategic location.”

Spanning 6,535 sq. ft., the facility includes seven private offices, 18 co-working spaces, and a showroom, accommodating around 100 employees and visitors. Seven companies, including Wrtn Technologies and DeepNoid, will base their operations at KICC UAE as they seek to penetrate the Middle Eastern market.

This collaboration strengthens ties between the UAE and Korea, following the signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in May 2024, aimed at enhancing economic cooperation and trade between the two nations.

News Source: Emirates News Agency