Gulf States After the Iran War — Insights from the Field

A colloquium hosted by the Korean Association of Islamic Studies

I had the opportunity to attend a colloquium hosted by the Korean Association of Islamic Studies, featuring Ambassador Moon Byung-joon, former Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Dubai and most recently Chargé d'Affaires at the Korean Embassy in Saudi Arabia.

What made this session particularly compelling was the timing. Ambassador Moon recently returned from a special envoy mission to three Middle Eastern countries, which meant the insights shared were not drawn from reports or secondhand accounts.

They were direct, current, and grounded in real diplomatic experience built over nearly 30 years of fieldwork across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and beyond.

The colloquium covered the outlook for Gulf states in the aftermath of the Iran conflict, and the discussion was as nuanced as you would expect from someone who has been in the room for many of the region's most consequential moments.

The Q&A session that followed was equally valuable. Attendees from a wide range of fields shared their own perspectives, and I had the chance to hear Ambassador Moon's thoughts on questions I had been sitting with for some time, particularly around the entry challenges and pain points facing Korean defense industry companies looking at the Middle East market.

It was also great to connect with others in the room who are deeply engaged with the region across different sectors. These kinds of conversations don't happen often enough, and I hope to have more of them throughout the year.