President Lee Jae-myung Meets ADB President, Discusses Cooperation in Critical Minerals and AI

President Lee Jae-myung met with Masato Kanda, President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), at his office in the Blue House today (the 14th), as Kanda is visiting South Korea on the occasion of the South Korea-Central Asia Summit.

The two sides discussed ways to expand cooperation in energy sectors such as nuclear power, as well as critical minerals and artificial intelligence (AI) in the Asia-Pacific region, including Central Asia, according to Senior Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung in a written briefing.

First, President Lee said, Central Asia is a region with high growth potential driven by abundant resources and geographical advantages, proposing that South Korea, equipped with technology and capabilities, and the ADB expand cooperation to stabilize supply chains for critical minerals in Central Asia, including Uzbekistan.

ADB President Kanda noted that the critical mineral supply chain sector is a key area of focus for the ADB, expressing hope for cooperation with South Korea, which possesses strong industrial capabilities.

In addition, after explaining South Korea's vision for "AI for All" and its efforts for global AI, President Lee stated that combining South Korea's AI capabilities with the ADB's development expertise could yield meaningful outcomes.

President Kanda responded that the South Korean economy is demonstrating outstanding performance despite uncertain global economic conditions, adding that he was impressed by President Lee's remarkable leadership in the AI and digital sectors.

During the meeting, the two sides also agreed to leverage South Korea's technology and experience in initiatives such as expanding Asia-Pacific energy infrastructure, including the ASEAN Power Grid promoted by the ADB, and financial support policies for the nuclear power sector.

(Photo: Provided by the Blue House, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.