Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to Visit South Korea for State Visit

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the President of Egypt, will make a state visit to South Korea from October 7 to 9 at the invitation of President Lee Jae-myung. This marks the first visit by an Egyptian president to South Korea in a decade.
 
Kang Yu-jeong, the chief spokesperson for the Blue House, announced the schedule in a written briefing on October 6. Presidents Lee and el-Sisi will hold a summit at the Blue House on October 8 to discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations. The agenda for the day includes an official welcoming ceremony, the summit, a signing ceremony for memorandums of understanding (MOU), and a state luncheon.
 
During the summit, the two leaders are expected to focus on expanding economic cooperation, particularly in trade, investment, infrastructure, and supply chains. They will also exchange views on increasing people-to-people exchanges and discuss regional issues, including the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East.
 
This meeting serves as a reciprocal visit following President Lee's state visit to Egypt in November 2025. The two leaders will meet for the first time in approximately 11 months, providing an opportunity to solidify the cooperative tasks agreed upon during the Cairo summit.
 
At that time, the two presidents committed to strengthening their comprehensive partnership and achieving tangible results in economic, social, educational, cultural, and defense sectors. They also agreed to accelerate preparations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and to expand cooperation in education, culture, and digital governance.
 
Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1995, South Korea and Egypt have broadened their cooperation in areas such as economy, culture, and education. Recently, they have strengthened collaboration in defense, energy, and infrastructure, highlighted by the export of K-9 self-propelled howitzers and participation in the El Dabaa nuclear power plant project. The summit is expected to address ways to combine South Korea's technological capabilities with Egypt's geopolitical advantages and access to regional markets.
 
In the realm of diplomacy and security, the situation in the Middle East, including Gaza, is likely to be a significant topic of discussion. Egypt has played a mediating role in ceasefire and humanitarian aid negotiations regarding Gaza, and during last year's summit, both leaders expressed mutual support for efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East and on the Korean Peninsula.
 
Kang stated, "President el-Sisi's state visit is expected to be a significant opportunity to develop the South Korea-Egypt relationship into a strategic partnership and to further strengthen cooperation between our country and the Africa-Middle East region."