Lee Jae-myung, the president, held his first call since taking office with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Oct. 20 and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation, Kim Nam-joon, the presidential office Spokesperson, said in a written briefing.
The two leaders congratulated each other on the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and Egypt this year and highly assessed the development of their relationship into a "comprehensive cooperation partner."
They also noted that since establishing diplomatic relations in 1995, the two countries have advanced mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, including the economy, infrastructure, and the defense industry, and agreed that there is great potential for cooperation between Korea, which possesses advanced technology, and Egypt, an economic hub connecting Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.
They also took note of the growing popularity of K-culture in Egypt and the increasingly active people-to-people exchanges, and shared the view that cooperation in culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges should further develop.
El-Sisi said, "Investments by outstanding Korean corporations are making a significant contribution to the Egyptian economy," and added, "We look forward to the continued activities of Korean corporations in Egypt."
The two leaders also closely exchanged views on security on the Korean Peninsula and the situation in the Middle East, the Spokesperson said.
Lee also evaluated Egypt's recent efforts to broker a truce in the Gaza Strip. The two leaders agreed to continue in-depth communication under the rapidly changing global situation and to meet in person in the near future to discuss ways to advance relations in depth.