By Serdar Dincel
ISTANBUL (AA) - At a joint news conference with Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the capital Ankara, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Monday that his country is determined to deepen strategic joint initiatives with Türkiye in the fields of advanced science and technology, including renewable energy and AI.
The strategic partnership between the two countries will grow even stronger and will be passed on to future generations, said Lee, who is on a two-day visit to Türkiye, starting from Monday.
At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Türkiye has become particularly strong in helping South Korean companies expand into the European market, he added.
Lee said they are determined to continue joint defense cooperation, such as joint production, technology cooperation, and training contacts, based on mutual trust.
Lee also expressed his hope for more successful examples of cooperation, like the one they had in the Altay tank project, stating that this would help enhance the two countries' defense industry capacities and maintain global peace.
The two governments agreed to provide necessary support to ensure a smooth negotiation and evaluation process during the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant Project in northern Türkiye, Lee highlighted.
He said Seoul’s advanced nuclear capabilities could aid Ankara’s nuclear power plant development and welcomed South Korean companies’ involvement in Türkiye’s domestic biotech production project.
Lee said they agreed to resume the Joint Economic Commission after a 10-year pause to review progress in various fields.
He also noted that Türkiye has rich tourism resources, stressing that visits between the two countries are steadily increasing.
- Seoul appreciates Ankara's peace efforts
Lee stated that regional and global issues, including the Korean Peninsula, were also discussed during the meeting, and said: “I thank President Erdogan and the Turkish government for their consistent support of our government’s policy toward North Korea.”
The South Korean president also expressed appreciation for Türkiye's peace efforts in the Middle East, and said his country finds Ankara’s work aimed at contributing to solutions for Syrian refugees meaningful.
Lee also thanked Türkiye for its consistent support of Seoul’s policy toward North Korea.
ollowing the news conference, Erdogan hosted a dinner in Lee's honor. The dinner was also attended by Turkish war veterans who took part in the 1950-1953 Korean War.
Earlier, Erdogan welcomed his South Korean counterpart in an official ceremony.