ABU DHABI, 20th January, 2026 (WAM) -- Lee Gun Hyuk, the newly appointed MENA Region President of LIG Nex1, announced at the UMEX exhibition that the company plans to establish a local defence industry in partnership with the United Arab Emirates, aiming to strengthen national defence capabilities and support self-reliance in local production within the UAE.
He emphasised that LIG Nex1 considers its participation in UMEX highly important as a strategic platform to deepen cooperation and expand long-term industrial collaboration with the UAE.
Lee explained, “LIG Nex1 has maintained a close cooperative relationship with the UAE for over 15 years, during which time we have pursued a range of collaborations and joint development efforts, primarily focused on advanced guided systems. Building on this foundation, we are now looking to expand our cooperation into broader areas of defence and advanced technologies. These efforts represent meaningful progress in the defence partnership between the two countries.”
LIG Nex1 aims to further strengthen its partnership with the UAE defence sector through expanded cooperation in joint development, local production, and capability advancement. Through these efforts, the company seeks to promote sustainable growth and deeper industrial collaboration with local stakeholders.
Lee added, “Through this partnership, we seek to contribute to the development of the UAE’s defence industrial ecosystem by fostering technical and research collaboration and exploring opportunities in safety and advanced technologies together with local partners.”
He concluded by reaffirming LIG Nex1’s commitment to supporting the UAE’s strategic defence localisation plans and long-term technological innovation, with the shared goal of achieving sustainable growth together.