South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has started his visit to UAE where he will hold discussions with top officials of the country besides attending a ceremony to mark the construction of nuclear reactors. He is also scheduled to see Korean troops deployed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), located some 300 kilometers west of Abu Dhabi.

The visit is expected to prove a milestone for strengthening relations between Middle-East and South Korea.

A senior official at the presidential office -Cheong Wa Dae said, "The Middle East region is important in our development. The UAE is significant as a bridgehead. For us, the UAE is the most important nation economically in the Middle East."

Korean President would discuss various issues including economy, energy, construction, environment and health care with UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Korea signed a deal with UAE in 2009 for building four nuclear reactors in the Middle Eastern country.

The President, accompanied by First Lady Kim Yoon-ok, will also visit Dubai where he would be awarded Zayed International Prize for the Environment in recognition to his services for promoting green technology.