South Korea and Mexico have agreed to regularize policy consultations at the vice-ministerial level and to resume their joint economic, scientific, and technological cooperation committee, which has been inactive since 2015. This framework aims to implement cooperation projects in areas such as the economy, artificial intelligence (AI), space, and defense by 2030.
President Lee Jae-myung and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum adopted the '2026-2030 Korea-Mexico Joint Action Plan' during their summit in Mexico City on September 24.
According to the joint action plan, the two countries will promote regular high-level exchanges, including summits and vice-ministerial meetings, taking advantage of multilateral meetings.
The joint economic, scientific, and technological cooperation committee will be reactivated, starting with a meeting in South Korea in 2027, and vice-ministerial meetings will be held annually.
The two nations will also enhance cooperation within MIKTA (a consultative group of Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey, and Australia) by activating high-level meetings and ministerial discussions to address global issues and strengthen multilateralism.
They have also outlined cooperation plans linked to multilateral diplomatic schedules. In 2028, when Mexico holds the APEC presidency, they will conduct a mid-term review of the APEC AI initiative.
Additionally, they will strengthen coordination and collaboration within the G20, with South Korea assuming the presidency in 2028 and Mexico in 2029.
In the economic sector, they plan to finalize the revision of the investment protection agreement, which has been under negotiation for seven years, to strengthen the institutional framework for expanding investment.
Financial cooperation will also be expanded, including discussions on establishing a financing facility of up to $100 million between the Export-Import Bank of Korea and the Mexican Foreign Trade Bank.
In the second half of 2027, they will establish the 'Korea-Mexico International Development Cooperation Forum' to discuss common priorities in development cooperation policies and identify practical joint projects in Latin America.
In customs and intellectual property, they will promote the establishment of a working group to exchange risk information on high-risk cargo and share experiences in AI-based customs administration. They will also continue cooperation between their intellectual property authorities for data exchange and counterfeit identification.
Collaboration between the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation and the Korea Water Resources Corporation will be strengthened to explore knowledge sharing and capacity building in the water sector, as well as potential joint projects.
AI, digital government, and space are also key components of the joint action plan.
The Ministry of Interior and Safety of Korea and the Mexican Federal Telecommunications Institute will share best practices in AI and digital government, promote expert exchanges, policy consultations, and technical support. The two countries' intellectual property authorities will also establish a framework for exchanging information on AI-related patent examination standards.
In the space sector, the Korea Aerospace Administration and the Mexican Federal Telecommunications Institute and Space Agency will seek to identify cooperative projects for peaceful purposes.
In the second half of this year, the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korea Aerospace Administration, along with the Mexican Federal Telecommunications Institute, will jointly host 'Korea-Mexico Space Day' to explore exchanges and business opportunities between the two countries' space industries.
They will also promote support for the establishment of space policies and industrial strategies for member countries of the Latin American Space Agency (ALCE) using Korea's Knowledge Sharing Program (KSP).
In the cultural and educational sectors, they will establish a working group for joint production, creation, and human resource development.
To investigate, document, and preserve archaeological heritage affected by large-scale infrastructure projects, they will establish a cultural heritage management cooperation system starting with a bilateral symposium in 2027.
To discuss the possibility of establishing new scholarship programs, a joint working group will be set up between the Korean Ministry of Education and the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the second half of this year, and they will also work to resume the Korea-Mexico University Presidents Forum.
In agriculture, fisheries, and livestock, they will establish a working group between agricultural research institutions to expand agricultural technology cooperation. They will cooperate on registration and health certification procedures during the import process of Mexican seafood and work on establishing an electronic certification system for livestock products.
Cooperation in the maritime sector will be strengthened, including mutual recognition of maritime training and licenses issued by the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Mexican Navy.
In security, they will expand defense cooperation focused on policy dialogue, personnel exchanges, research and development, and the defense industry.
The Korean National Police Agency and the Mexican Ministry of Public Safety will establish a strategic cooperation system to combat transnational crime, sharing security information and best practices.
In the area of anti-corruption, they will share early warning systems to identify corruption risks, prevent conflicts of interest, conduct integrity assessments, and analyze data.
The joint action plan includes 17 documents signed during the summit covering scholarships, culture, tourism, economic industry, customs, finance, agriculture, AI, defense, anti-corruption, intellectual property, space, public safety, and aerospace.
President Lee Jae-myung and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum adopted the '2026-2030 Korea-Mexico Joint Action Plan' during their summit in Mexico City on September 24.
According to the joint action plan, the two countries will promote regular high-level exchanges, including summits and vice-ministerial meetings, taking advantage of multilateral meetings.
The joint economic, scientific, and technological cooperation committee will be reactivated, starting with a meeting in South Korea in 2027, and vice-ministerial meetings will be held annually.
The two nations will also enhance cooperation within MIKTA (a consultative group of Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey, and Australia) by activating high-level meetings and ministerial discussions to address global issues and strengthen multilateralism.
They have also outlined cooperation plans linked to multilateral diplomatic schedules. In 2028, when Mexico holds the APEC presidency, they will conduct a mid-term review of the APEC AI initiative.
Additionally, they will strengthen coordination and collaboration within the G20, with South Korea assuming the presidency in 2028 and Mexico in 2029.
In the economic sector, they plan to finalize the revision of the investment protection agreement, which has been under negotiation for seven years, to strengthen the institutional framework for expanding investment.
Financial cooperation will also be expanded, including discussions on establishing a financing facility of up to $100 million between the Export-Import Bank of Korea and the Mexican Foreign Trade Bank.
In the second half of 2027, they will establish the 'Korea-Mexico International Development Cooperation Forum' to discuss common priorities in development cooperation policies and identify practical joint projects in Latin America.
In customs and intellectual property, they will promote the establishment of a working group to exchange risk information on high-risk cargo and share experiences in AI-based customs administration. They will also continue cooperation between their intellectual property authorities for data exchange and counterfeit identification.
Collaboration between the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation and the Korea Water Resources Corporation will be strengthened to explore knowledge sharing and capacity building in the water sector, as well as potential joint projects.
AI, digital government, and space are also key components of the joint action plan.
The Ministry of Interior and Safety of Korea and the Mexican Federal Telecommunications Institute will share best practices in AI and digital government, promote expert exchanges, policy consultations, and technical support. The two countries' intellectual property authorities will also establish a framework for exchanging information on AI-related patent examination standards.
In the space sector, the Korea Aerospace Administration and the Mexican Federal Telecommunications Institute and Space Agency will seek to identify cooperative projects for peaceful purposes.
In the second half of this year, the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korea Aerospace Administration, along with the Mexican Federal Telecommunications Institute, will jointly host 'Korea-Mexico Space Day' to explore exchanges and business opportunities between the two countries' space industries.
They will also promote support for the establishment of space policies and industrial strategies for member countries of the Latin American Space Agency (ALCE) using Korea's Knowledge Sharing Program (KSP).
In the cultural and educational sectors, they will establish a working group for joint production, creation, and human resource development.
To investigate, document, and preserve archaeological heritage affected by large-scale infrastructure projects, they will establish a cultural heritage management cooperation system starting with a bilateral symposium in 2027.
To discuss the possibility of establishing new scholarship programs, a joint working group will be set up between the Korean Ministry of Education and the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the second half of this year, and they will also work to resume the Korea-Mexico University Presidents Forum.
In agriculture, fisheries, and livestock, they will establish a working group between agricultural research institutions to expand agricultural technology cooperation. They will cooperate on registration and health certification procedures during the import process of Mexican seafood and work on establishing an electronic certification system for livestock products.
Cooperation in the maritime sector will be strengthened, including mutual recognition of maritime training and licenses issued by the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Mexican Navy.
In security, they will expand defense cooperation focused on policy dialogue, personnel exchanges, research and development, and the defense industry.
The Korean National Police Agency and the Mexican Ministry of Public Safety will establish a strategic cooperation system to combat transnational crime, sharing security information and best practices.
In the area of anti-corruption, they will share early warning systems to identify corruption risks, prevent conflicts of interest, conduct integrity assessments, and analyze data.
The joint action plan includes 17 documents signed during the summit covering scholarships, culture, tourism, economic industry, customs, finance, agriculture, AI, defense, anti-corruption, intellectual property, space, public safety, and aerospace.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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