On the 23rd, the government formed a "strategic partnership" with Brazil, the largest trading partner in South America, and adopted the "Korea-Brazil four-year action plan." Accordingly, the two countries will expand cooperation in politics, the economy, and private exchanges through 2030, and signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to discuss investment in 10 areas, including small and midsize enterprises, K-beauty, and agricultural technology. This visit is the first state visit received since President Lee returned to the Blue House.
On this day, President Lee met Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who paid a state visit to Korea, at the Blue House for a summit and jointly announced an agreement containing these details. In particular, the two countries signed MOUs in 10 areas, including ▲ trade ▲ economic and financial dialogue ▲ science and technology ▲ agriculture ▲ health cooperation and related products ▲ small and midsize enterprises ▲ public security cooperation.
In trade, the two countries will establish a "high-level economic and trade relations committee" co-chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI), and will promote cooperation in the digital economy, including critical minerals and artificial intelligence (AI), and in the green and bio economies. They will also create a "Korea-Brazil economic and financial dialogue" led by Vice Ministers as chief delegates from both sides, with plans to discuss cooperation in international multilateral forums.
In health care, the two sides will share experts and information in biopharmaceuticals and digital health and exchange regulatory information on food, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and cosmetics. The Blue House said, "By mutually understanding K-beauty and medical product regulations, we expect to expand entry into the South American market." They also agreed to simplify Brazil's pesticide approval procedures and to exchange information and intelligence on transnational crimes such as intellectual property infringement and security breaches.
In particular, the Korean government asked Brazil to resume negotiations to conclude the "Korea-Mercosur free trade agreement." The Blue House said Lula also expressed agreement, calling it "an urgent task." President Lee said, "Today will be recorded as a historic day that created a new leap forward in bilateral relations," adding, "Bilateral trade has steadily increased, exceeding $10 billion each year over the past five years, and cooperation is expanding into promising future fields," the statement said.
The two countries also agreed to expand cooperation in future industries such as space, defense, and aviation. President Lee said, "In aviation, we are also advancing supply chain cooperation between the two countries by having our component companies participate in Brazil's transport aircraft manufacturing," adding, "Our cooperation will move toward a higher level, including the joint development of next-generation commercial aircraft."
◇Lula presses for exports of Brazilian beef to Korea
In this meeting, Brazil proposed diversifying its export items to Korea. Specifically, it wants to expand access for Brazilian beef to the Korean market. Korea currently imports Brazilian agricultural products, particularly chicken.
In a joint press statement that day, Lula singled out the beef sector and said, "I fully explained to President Lee Jae-myung that if sanitary and quarantine requirements for exporting Brazilian beef are finalized quickly, it could also benefit Korean consumers." He also said, "From the beauty industry to the video and content industry, our partnership could create new opportunities in a variety of fields."
Earlier, the two leaders held a one-on-one meeting at the Group of Seven summit in Canada in June last year. The Blue House said both shared experiences as boyhood laborers and built a deep emotional bond as well as a pragmatic governing philosophy. As a teenager, President Lee was injured when his left arm was crushed by a press machine while working at a factory. Lula, born to a poor farming family, quit elementary school at 12 and worked at a dyeing factory, and at 19 lost the little finger on his left hand in an accident at a metal factory.