The Blue House announced that President Lee Jae-myung held a summit with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss ways to enhance practical cooperation between the two countries.
Blue House spokesperson Kim Sung-wan stated in a written briefing that President Lee met with President Erdoğan, who is on a state visit, to review the implementation of agreements made during their summit last November and to discuss major regional and international issues.
Kim noted that Erdoğan's visit reflects a commitment to expand cooperation into future-oriented areas such as energy, science and technology, natural resources, and minerals ahead of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027. The two leaders agreed to deepen their existing 'strategic partnership.'
In the nuclear sector, they confirmed that site evaluations and the operation of a joint working group for the Sinop nuclear power plant project are progressing smoothly based on the 'Nuclear Cooperation MOU' signed last year. Additionally, they established a new 'Nuclear Project Financing Cooperation MOU' to proactively support the participation of South Korean companies in new nuclear projects.
In defense, they agreed to deepen cooperation based on the achievements of the Altay tank project, including expanding technological collaboration, joint production, and exploring joint ventures in third countries.
In the fields of energy, science and technology, and natural resources and mining, they laid the groundwork for future industry cooperation by signing MOUs on energy cooperation, science and technology innovation cooperation, and natural resources and mining cooperation. They also agreed to collaborate on the uninterrupted progress of Turkey's blood product self-sufficiency project (establishment of a plasma fractionation plant) and to identify follow-up projects for road infrastructure.
From an economic cooperation perspective, they signed an 'Investment Cooperation MOU' and agreed to elevate the South Korea-Turkey FTA joint committee from director-level to ministerial-level. Discussions will continue to address business challenges such as import regulations and customs delays, as well as to resolve labor permit issues for local expatriates.
In the diplomatic and security fields, they reaffirmed Turkey's consistent support for South Korea's North Korea policy and agreed to strengthen cooperation on multilateral platforms. They also promised close communication for the peaceful resolution of international issues such as the Ukraine war and the situation in the Middle East.
Kim emphasized that this summit serves as an opportunity to reaffirm the deep friendship and trust between the two countries ahead of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations and will be a milestone for a new leap forward. He added that the government will faithfully implement the agreements reached during the summit to achieve tangible results that the people can feel.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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