The parliamentary leaders of South Korea and the United Arab Emirates signed a memorandum of understanding on bilateral cooperation to strengthen parliamentary ties on Monday, according to Seoul officials.

Korean National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang and Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, speaker of the UAE’s Federal National Council, met in Abu Dhabi to discuss the bilateral relationship of the two legislatures. 

Under the memorandum, the two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation and to increase the exchange of information on legislative activities and parliamentary procedures. They also agreed to send parliamentary delegations to each other’s country.

“I am very glad to meet the very first female politician elected as a lawmaker and to take the speaker role. I wish for the MOU to become a firm stepping stone for the two parliaments,” Moon said.

Offering her congratulations on the thaw in relations between South and North Korea, Al Qubaisi called for exchanges in industries such as energy, technology and medicine.

Moon arrived in the country on Monday as part of a nine-day trip to the Middle East that includes visits to Jordan, and Israel, for the first time as a Korean parliamentary speaker.

Prior to the meeting, Moon paid respects to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first president of the UAE, and visited Wahat al Karama in Abu Dhabi to lay flowers for martyrs, the National Assembly said.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)