Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo held telephone talks on Monday with his counterpart from the United Arab Emirates(UAE) and agreed to cooperate on COVID-19 related issues. 

Seoul’s Defense Ministry said Jeong and the UAE's Minister of State for Defense Affairs, Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowardi, shared the latest information regarding coronavirus infections in the two countries and the Middle East region. 

During the call that was arranged at the UAE’s request, the two sides also exchanged opinions on each other's coronavirus countermeasures and agreed to continue close cooperation on related matters. 

Al Bowardi highly assessed Seoul’s response to the pandemic, particularly in testing and epidemiological surveys. He also praised South Korea for swiftly and transparently sharing information with the public, calling the measures “exemplary.”