President Lee Jae-myung, who is visiting Türkiye to attend the NATO summit, held a bilateral meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on July 8 (local time) to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the two nations.

During the meeting, President Lee congratulated Prime Minister Støre on Norway's advancement to the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America and its selection as the preferred bidder for a Canadian submarine project (a joint design by Germany and Norway), saying, "I believe I should start by offering my congratulations."

Prime Minister Støre responded, "I am pleased that we have achieved such results at the national level. This is the first time we have achieved such a high standing in the World Cup since 1998, and I am also very happy about our victory against Brazil (in the Round of 16)."


President Lee remarked, "I watched the video of the Norwegian team after the Round of 16 match, and it was excellent." He then mimicked the Norwegian 'Viking rowing' celebration by clenching his fists and making a rowing motion, adding, "I hope to see you row once more," which drew laughter from those in attendance.

During the 36-minute meeting, President Lee stated, "The current international situation is very unstable. At a time when it is difficult for individual nations to overcome this crisis on their own, cooperation and exchange between countries are crucial."

He added, "South Korea and Norway are developing a deep relationship, receiving significant support in the areas of economy, industry, culture, and defense. Let us have an in-depth discussion on how to further deepen our relationship in these fields."

In particular, he expressed his gratitude, saying, "South Korea has not forgotten and remains grateful for the medical support Norway provided during the Korean War, even before our two countries established formal diplomatic ties."

Prime Minister Støre told President Lee, "It is a pleasure to meet you again following the G20 summit last year. I have fond memories of our extensive discussions on bilateral relations during the dinner last year, and since then, there has been much progress in the potential between Norway and South Korea."

He continued, "There have been important decisions made in the defense sector between our two countries, which were good decisions for the development of our strategic partnership. We are continuing to move forward in the areas of security, trade, and technology."

Earlier this year, Hanwha Aerospace signed a 'full package' supply contract with Norway for Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers and guided missiles, worth a total of 922 million dollars (approximately 1.3 trillion Korean won).

Kang Yu-jung, Senior Presidential Spokesperson, reported that President Lee said during the meeting, "Based on the continued trust Norway has shown in our weapon systems, such as the K9 self-propelled howitzer and the Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher, I hope that cooperation in advanced defense technology and the defense industry will be further strengthened."

She also stated that the President requested the Norwegian government's interest and cooperation to ensure that the South Korean fisheries delegation currently visiting Norway can secure additional import volumes of Norwegian mackerel.

(Photo: Yonhap News)