South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will begin his two-day visit to Türkiye on Monday. Ahead of his inaugural visit, the president spoke to Anadolu Agency (AA) and said that his country and Türkiye "are brotherly nations bound by blood, having fought side by side to defend freedom and democracy."
"Türkiye is a strategic partner for Korea and an important hub in the Eurasian region," Lee said, adding that Seoul will continue to uphold and enhance its strategic partnership with Ankara.
Türkiye holds a "uniquely" strategic position at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, Eurasia and Africa, he said, adding: "For Korea, Türkiye is not simply a production site.” "It is a strategic partner with whom we seek to innovate, invest and compete globally." The two countries' strengths complement each other, Lee said, noting that Türkiye has established global leadership in unmanned aerial systems. At the same time, Korea excels in advanced platforms such as tanks, artillery and naval vessels. This presents significant opportunities for cooperation that leverage our respective advantages, he said.
Bilateral cooperation between Türkiye and South Korea in the defense industry has been robust, encompassing joint production, technological collaboration and personnel training exchanges, Lee said. "A typical example of our strong defense partnership is the Altay Main Battle Tank production program. "With both Korea and Türkiye striving to emerge as leading defense powers, I hope we can continue expanding cooperation in this field through mutual trust," he added.
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.
Expressing his confidence that they can expand the defense partnership into next-generation technologies, integrating unmanned systems with conventional platforms and fostering joint innovation, Lee said he is committed to a forward-looking collaboration that enhances security, technology and regional stability."
"We also aim to broaden our range of cooperation" into future-focused industries, including nuclear power, biohealth, digital transformation, renewable energy and artificial intelligence, the South Korean president said.
Regarding the nuclear sector, talks are underway on the South Korean companies' participation in Türkiye’s Sinop Nuclear Power Plant project, Lee said, expressing hope that Seoul can "substantially contribute" to Türkiye’s nuclear power development with its "world-class" nuclear technology and expertise in operational safety.
Lee further said that in his view, the most potential areas for enhancing bilateral cooperation are infrastructure and construction, among others.
Through its robust industrial base, skilled workforce and extensive network of trade agreements, "Türkiye has become an essential partner for Korean companies and an increasingly important hub in their global supply chains," Lee said.
South Korea values enhancing people-to-people exchanges with Türkiye, Lee said, adding that his government "has taken several steps" to facilitate Turkish citizens' travel to the country. "We have streamlined the application process through group submissions, expanded language support to include Turkish and have also extended the validity of the authorization to three years. "In addition, traveling minors under 17 and seniors over 65 are exempt from the K-ETA requirement," Lee said.
