In brief
During a state visit to Seoul, Presidents Lee Jae‑Myung and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced new agreements to broaden cooperation in nuclear power and defense manufacturing. The accords include MOUs on financial support, joint industrial production, and technological collaboration, building on the Sinop nuclear plant project. Both leaders emphasized the historical ties and strategic partnership as a basis for the expanded collaboration.
South Korean President Lee Jae‑Myung and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced on Tuesday at a summit in Seoul that the two countries will deepen cooperation in strategic sectors, particularly nuclear power plants and defense manufacturing.
The agreement, reached during Lee’s three‑day visit that marked the first time Erdogan had travelled to South Korea since 2018, adds new memoranda of understanding between the two governments. The documents cover financial support for South Korean firms engaged in Turkish projects, joint manufacturing and technological collaboration in defense, and support for a Korean‑led feasibility study of a nuclear power plant in Sinop, Turkey. In the defense arena, the leaders agreed to widen cooperation on battle tanks, naval vessels and to explore entry into third markets together.
Lee said the new pact was “based on the deep friendship and trust forged in blood” between the two nations, referring to Turkish troops’ participation alongside South Korean forces during the Korean War.
"Today, President Erdoğan and I agreed to expand the horizon of bilateral cooperation, based on the deep friendship and trust forged in blood," Lee said.
The Korea Herald reported that the leaders also pledged to enhance security cooperation to promote stability on the Korean Peninsula and the wider international context. The Herald noted that the agreement builds on prior talks in Ankara in November of the previous year.
These twin agreements underscore a growing partnership between South Korea and Turkey, both seeking to strengthen ties across key industries and strategic security matters while highlighting their shared history and geopolitical interests.
