President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday received South Korean President Lee Jae Myung with an official welcome at the Presidential Complex in Ankara as the two leaders began a day of bilateral talks.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat, Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, the president's chief advisor Akif Cagatay Kılıç, and other officials attended the ceremony.
Following the ceremony, Erdoğan and Lee, who is paying a visit to the country, proceeded to the bilateral meeting.
After the meeting, an agreement signing ceremony will be held, and later, the two presidents are expected to hold a joint press conference.
The longstanding relationship between the two countries was further strengthened when Türkiye sent troops during the Korean War of 1950-1953. Türkiye became one of the countries that sent the most troops to the Korean War in response to the call of the U.N.
The final resting place of 462 out of the 721 Turkish soldiers lost in the war is located in the U.N. Memorial Cemetery in the South Korean city of Busan. Koreans frequently visit the monumental cemetery, which includes Turkish martyrs.
Ties between the two countries have been strengthened in recent years through cultural and social ties. Korean music and dramas have become quite popular in Türkiye in recent years, boosting Korean language learning as this culture gains recognition. Meanwhile, Türkiye is also garnering interest among young South Koreans for its cuisine and tourist attractions.
