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As part of its “Ertebaat” Program, Dubai Customs received a Korean delegation headed by Chun Young Wook, South Korean Consul General and included a number of businessmen, and representatives of Dubai-based Korean companies and diplomatic missions. The meeting aimed at enhancing trade with South Korea and tackling any challenges these companies may face. 
Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director of Dubai Customs welcomed the delegation to the meeting which was also attended by Abdullah Mohammed Al Khaja, Executive Director of Clients Management Division, Farid Hassan Al Marzouqi, Executive Director, Human Resources, Finance and Administration Division, and a number of executive directors and heads of departments.

Ahmed Mahboob Musabih highlighted the role Dubai Customs plays to develop and promote relationships with foreign business councils in support of Dubai’s economy worldwide.
“Dubai offers investors and businesses working from Dubai all what they need to succeed. This includes highly advanced customs services and products which will help towards a better achievement of Dubai Plan 2021” he said.

Musabih pointed out the cabinet headed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai has approved a number of regulations that would reduce cost on foreign businesses and promote its trade activities. This included reduction of utility bills, and that benefited around 6,000 factories across the country.  A number of incentives and facilities are in place to help investors and businesses work in the UAE without any hurdles, including the 60 Korean companies that operate in Dubai.

Musabih added:” We look forward to enhancing our good ties with the South Korean businesses and to promoting mutual trade with them. We have a number of services and programs in place that can help these companies work within hassle-free environments. iDeclare is one of these leading programs. It was launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council during Gitex Technology Week 2018 and will allow UAE travellers to check customs rules, declare items before arriving and calculate duty that they will have to pay on goods they bring to the country. We also have a mutual recognition agreement with South Korea under the Authorized Economic Operator program which took effect this October to benefit around 320 South Korean and UAE companies so far".

Musabih said the latest visit of the South Korean President Moon Jae-in in March has seen the signing of a number of agreements between the two countries in fields of energy, health care, science and technology and communications.
On his part, Chun Young Wook, Korean Consul General said Dubai enjoys a very strategic location in the middle of the world’s continents.
“We export our technologies to the world, and Dubai is a very important hub for us. We encourage more Korean companies to work in Dubai, and we also encourage South Korean tourists to visit the UAE. There are around 26 million Korean tourists who visited different countries every year” he added.

In his presentation, Ahmed Abdul Salam Kazim, Director of Strategy and Corporate Excellence said trade with South Korea rose by 8% to AED 27.4b in 2017 from 25.3 in 2016.
Yousef Al Awadi, Director of Projects Delivery Department had another presentation on E-Commerce. He said online trade amounted to $ 2.3 trillion in 2017 worldwide, and is expected to reach $ 4tr. in 2020.
At the end of the meeting, the Korean delegation were invited to submit any suggestions or concerns through the provided channels in order to be studied and addressed by Dubai Customs.