President Lee Calls Korean War Ally Türkiye 'Blood Brothers,' Vows Stronger Cooperation in Nuclear Power and Defense

President Lee Jae-myung highlighted the sacrifices of Turkish soldiers who fought in the Korean War during a summit with Türkiye, expressing his commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation.

President Lee held a summit at the Blue House on Tuesday (November 3) with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is on a state visit to South Korea.

In a subsequent joint press statement, President Lee said, "Türkiye holds a place in the hearts of our people as 'Kan Kardeşi,' or blood brothers."

He added, "President Erdoğan and I agreed to broaden the horizons of bilateral cooperation based on our deep friendship and trust forged in blood," noting that they also "held in-depth discussions on ways to deepen the strategic partnership between the two nations."

Regarding the summit discussions, President Lee first stated, "We will solidify practical cooperation in strategic sectors such as nuclear power and defense."

On nuclear power, he said, "Based on the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on nuclear cooperation signed in November last year, cooperation for the Sinop nuclear power plant project in Türkiye, including site assessments and the operation of a joint working group, is proceeding smoothly," adding, "Furthermore, by signing an 'MOU on Nuclear Project Financing Cooperation,' we agreed to support South Korean companies' participation in Türkiye's new nuclear power projects."

In the defense sector, he said, "Both countries held a Joint Defense Industry and Logistics Committee meeting in July this year and agreed to identify new areas of defense cooperation based on the achievements of the Altay tank project. We also signed a letter of intent on naval vessel cooperation in September," adding, "Going forward, we will expand cooperation and seek joint ventures in third countries."

Regarding trade, he promised, "Since the bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) took effect in 2013, bilateral trade reached a record high of $10.7 billion last year since the establishment of diplomatic relations," adding, "We will resolve challenges one by one, such as trade imbalances, import restriction measures, and customs delays, so that businesses from both countries can operate in a more stable environment."

President Lee also pledged, "We will broaden the scope of cooperation to future growth sectors such as biotechnology, energy, science and technology, natural resources, and mining."

Noting that SK Plasma is currently participating in the "Turkish project for self-sufficiency in blood products," he said, "We will ensure that the construction of the plasma fractionation plant currently underway between the two countries proceeds without disruption."

He also explained, "Based on the 'MOU on Energy Cooperation' signed this time, we will establish a 'Korea-Türkiye Energy Transition Forum' and expand the foundation for cooperation in clean energy, hydrogen, and renewable energy," adding, "We also agreed to convene the first Joint Committee on Science and Technology."

President Lee noted that both countries signed an "MOU on Natural Resources and Mining Cooperation," adding, "By expanding the foundation for bilateral technology and investment cooperation, we will actively pursue the 'diversification of critical mineral supply chains.'"

Discussions between the two leaders on the international security situation were also addressed.

President Lee explained, "We will strengthen strategic coordination to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula and restore stability in the international order," adding, "In today's summit, we reaffirmed the Turkish government's consistent support for South Korea's North Korea policy and agreed to cooperate in establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula."

He also added, "As middle powers that share a rules-based international order, both countries will expand coordination on multilateral stages such as the United Nations and the G20."

President Lee said, "The two sides exchanged views on major international issues, including the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, and agreed to communicate closely and cooperate toward a peaceful resolution of conflicts and the restoration of regional stability."

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