President Lee Jae-myung, who is on a tour of four countries in the Middle East and Africa, on the 25th signed a joint statement (MOU) on a strategic partnership with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Republic of Türkiye. During the Korean War, Türkiye sent the fourth-largest number of troops to Korea among the 16 United Nations (UN) member states that took part, after the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The MOU also set out the shared values of "the legacy of brotherhood, a vision for the future."
At the invitation of President Erdogan, President Lee paid a state visit to Türkiye for two days starting on the 24th (local time), holding a summit and an MOU signing ceremony. The statement included pledges to advance South Korea–Türkiye cooperation in the areas of ▲ political affairs ▲ economy and industry ▲ science, technology and innovation ▲ defense industry ▲ energy, environment and sustainable growth ▲ culture and people-to-people exchanges ▲ regional and international affairs.
The two countries "recalled the close and historic relationship between the two countries, rooted in the brotherhood formed during the Korean War," and said they "reconfirmed the shared resolve to further deepen the strategic partnership based on mutual respect, trust, and long-standing friendship ahead of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2027."
In the defense industry field, the two countries agreed to promote cooperation and foster new partnerships through mutually beneficial projects that comply with domestic systems and international law. For cooperation on energy, environment and sustainable growth, they "reaffirmed the importance of cooperation in the fields of energy transition, energy security, and environmental protection and management, and emphasized the importance of cooperation in renewable energy, clean hydrogen, battery technology and recycling."
On international affairs, they reaffirmed their shared interest in global issues such as terrorism, organized crime, and refugees, and agreed that "dialogue, diplomacy, and respect for international law, including an exchange of views on regional developments, are essential to the peaceful resolution of disputes."
The two countries also reaffirmed their resolve to achieve "the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula" and "lasting peace and stability." In the statement, Türkiye said it "supports the Republic of Korea's efforts to resume dialogue through proactive tension-reduction and confidence-building measures so that, through expanded inter-Korean exchanges, normalization of relations, and progress on denuclearization, peaceful coexistence and shared growth can be achieved on the Korean Peninsula."
In the afternoon, President Lee will lay a wreath at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Korea Park in Ankara. He will then conclude his 7-night, 10-day schedule with a meeting with Korean residents in Türkiye and return home on the 26th. Earlier, President Lee departed on the 17th to attend the Group of 20 (G20) summit in South Africa, and on that occasion visited Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Egypt, signing agreements to strengthen cooperation by sector, including defense, energy, and AI, with the leaders of each country.