Dubai: The Korea IT Cooperation Centre UAE (KICC UAE), a new regional office of the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) supported by the Government of the Republic of Korea, was officially launched at Dubai Internet City during the GITEX Global 2024 event. This strategic move is set to enhance the collaborative ecosystem between Korean and Middle Eastern technology sectors. According to Emirates News Agency, the KICC UAE inauguration event was a significant highlight of GITEX Global 2024, which took place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from October 14th to 18th. The launch marks a significant expansion of NIPA's global network, establishing its first center in the Middle East and adding to the existing locations in Silicon Valley, Singapore, India, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City. The event was attended by prominent figures including 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. The new center is located in Dubai Internet City, a leading technology hub owned by TECOM Group PJSC and the Knowledge Partner of GITEX Global 2024. KICC UAE aims to support Korean technology companies looking to expand into Middle Eastern markets by facilitating strategic relationships with key government entities and industry partners. The center will play a critical role in connecting Korean tech businesses and investors with regional innovators, inventors, and investors. Vice Minister Kang Do-hyun expressed the significance of this new establishment, highlighting it as a milestone in the digital sector that follows the reaffirmation of bilateral cooperation during President Yoon Suk-yeol's state visit to the UAE in January. Sung-Wook Hur, President of NIPA, emphasized that the KICC UAE will serve as a hub for innovators to collaborate on groundbreaking solutions that benefit both the UAE and the Republic of Korea, and have a lasting impac t on the global stage. The facility spans 6,535 sq. ft., featuring seven private offices, 18 co-working spaces, meeting rooms, and a dedicated showroom. It can host around 100 employees and visitors and plans to hold four key events in 2025. Initially, seven resident companies including Wrtn Technologies, DeepNoid, CoreMovement, Genians, Mobiltech, Weeds Korea, and Angelswing, along with Esol Information and Communications and PineCandI using shared office spaces, will establish a presence at KICC UAE. This initiative not only strengthens the bilateral ties between the UAE and the Republic of Korea but also aligns with the UAE's vision to double its non-oil foreign trade to AED4 trillion by 2031, following the May 2024 signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between both countries.