▲ Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik speaks during a press conference at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on March 18, 2026. (Yonhap)

presidential adviser-UAE

UAE pledges to supply crude oil to S. Korea with top priority: presidential aide

By Yi Wonju

SEOUL, March 18 (Yonhap) -- The United Arab Emirates has pledged to supply crude oil to South Korea with top priority, President Lee Jae Myung's top aide said Wednesday, saying that a total of 24 million barrels of crude oil have been secured from the Gulf nation.

Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, made the announcement in a briefing after returning from his trip to the UAE, amid concerns over global energy markets with the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory strikes entering their third week.

"The UAE clearly promised us that no country would receive crude oil ahead of South Korea, and that we are the 'No. 1 priority' in terms of its oil supply," Kang said.

With the latest announcement, South Korea is set to receive a total of 24 million barrels of crude oil from the UAE, including an earlier agreement of 6 million barrels, according to Kang.

Around 3,000 of the 3,500 South Korean nationals staying short-term in the UAE have returned back home safely, he added.

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