▲ President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung wave to well-wishers aboard Air Force One at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam on the 24th, departing for their tour of the United States and South America.
President Lee Jae-myung, currently on a tour of the United States and three South American countries (Brazil, Chile, and Argentina), stated that relations between South Korea and South America are "entering a new phase," while pledging to push for the resumption of trade agreement negotiations with Mercosur (Southern Common Market) and strengthened cooperation on critical minerals for the AI era.
In a written interview with the Spanish news agency EFE released on this day, President Lee said, "Our cooperation should go beyond a simple relationship of exchanging natural resources for manufactured goods, and become a relationship where we create value together through innovation, investment, technology, and talent."
This written interview was conducted to inform the citizens of South American countries of the purpose of President Lee's visit in Spanish.
President Lee first diagnosed that "Mercosur member countries are global leaders in agriculture, food production, energy, and critical minerals, while South Korea is a global leader in advanced manufacturing, digital technology, shipbuilding, batteries, and innovation."
He then emphasized, "South America possesses essential resources for future industries, and South Korea has advanced technology, industrial know-how, and investment capabilities."
He explained, "If we combine these strengths, we can build a resilient value chain that benefits both regions," adding, "Together, we can build a resilient supply chain, foster new industries, and create quality jobs that benefit both regions."
In particular, he stated, "At a time when concerns over the spread of protectionism, geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and energy security are growing, countries need reliable partners and trade based on clear rules and mutual trust."
Against this backdrop, President Lee presented modernizing economic cooperation structures with South America, such as updating the South Korea-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA)—South Korea's first FTA signed and implemented in 2004—as a key task of this visit.
President Lee analyzed, "Some 20 years later, we now have the opportunity to modernize this agreement to reflect new areas such as digital trade, environmental cooperation, labor standards, gender equality, and innovation."
Finally, President Lee emphasized, "Our goal is clear," adding, "It is for South Korea and South America to build a deep relationship that goes beyond successful economic ties to encompass people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between future generations."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.