President Yoon Suk Yeol returned home on July 11 after completing his state visit to Mongolia. This concluded a five-day trip that began with his participation in the NATO summit in Turkey.
On the afternoon of July 11, President Yoon and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung boarded Air Force One at Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Ulaanbaatar, where they were seen off by local officials, including Foreign Minister Batjargal.
During his visit to Mongolia, President Yoon held a summit with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh on July 9, where they adopted a joint declaration to strengthen the strategic partnership between Korea and Mongolia, marking the beginning of a 'Golden Era' in bilateral relations.
The two leaders announced a principled agreement on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations and agreed to increase trade between the two countries to $1 billion by 2030. They also committed to enhancing cooperation in the supply chain of critical minerals, including rare earth elements.
Given Mongolia's diplomatic relations with North Korea, the two leaders also discussed peace on the Korean Peninsula. In their joint declaration, they affirmed their support for the three pillars of non-proliferation, disarmament, and peaceful use as parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
They emphasized that peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula are crucial for the overall peace and security of Northeast Asia, and included in the declaration the Korean government's policies for expanding exchanges, normalizing relations, and promoting peaceful coexistence and joint growth through gradual denuclearization.
On July 10, President Yoon met with Mongolia's National Assembly Speaker Sandag Baatar and Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene. On the final day of his visit, July 11, he participated in symbolic cultural exchange activities. He was officially invited as a guest of honor to Mongolia's largest holiday, the Naadam Festival. After attending the opening ceremony, he experienced local culture by visiting an archery event and traditional games.
During a farewell luncheon held in a traditional ger, President Yoon and President Khurelsukh exchanged tokens of friendship. The Mongolian president gifted the first couple a pair of horses, with their names inscribed in traditional Mongolian script. In response, President Yoon named the mare 'Rainbow' and the stallion 'Gold,' symbolizing the opening of the Korea-Mongolia Golden Era and the two nations' identities (Mongolia as the 'Land of Blue Sky' and Korea as the 'Land of Rainbow'). The gifted horses are expected to be raised in Mongolia.
Prior to his visit to Mongolia, President Yoon attended the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 7-8. He began with a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, participated in a small group meeting of the Indo-Pacific Four (IP4), and engaged in discussions with key allied leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, during an official dinner.
At the NATO Defense Industry Forum, he proposed the 'Korea-NATO Defense Industry Partnership 2.0,' aimed at advancing cooperation beyond simple arms transactions to joint research, production, and operations, thereby supporting the global market entry of Korea's defense industry.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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