Hologram technology used by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UAE.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has announced the inauguration of the first Smart Mission in Seoul, offering comprehensive consular services 24/7 through advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).

The mission was unveiled during the visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, to the Republic of Korea, aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation across various sectors.

The launch event was attended by His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade; Hong Seok-in, Ambassador and Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea; His Excellency Khaled Abdullah Belhoul, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; His Excellency Faisal Lutfi, Assistant Undersecretary for Consular Affairs; and His Excellency Abdullah Saif Al Nuaimi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Korea.

The UAE Smart Mission in Korea is part of the “UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence” and the “UAE Strategy for Government Services”. The initiative aims to provide consular services using cutting-edge technologies and AI, to streamline processes and enhance customer satisfaction.

To ensure integration with government entities, the initiative is implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior and linked to supportive back-end systems that manage the mission’s services, in collaboration with national companies to continuously deliver and update the latest AI technologies.

The mission offers a range of consular services, including document authentication, issuing return documents, Tawajudi registration, and addressing urgent concerns of UAE nationals. Additionally, UAE nationals can make inquiries and receive real-time responses via a hologram service available in Arabic, Korean, and English.

His Excellency Abdullah Saif Al Nuaimi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, remarked: “Launching the Seoul Smart Consulate – as the first mission to utilize modern technology to provide consular services in the world – is regarded as a pioneering step in applying AI to serve our customers in a faster and more efficient way.

This reflects the commitment of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide the latest technologies to facilitate procedures and enhance the customer experience in UAE missions around the world.”