Turkish president hails historic ties with South Korea
17:37, 03/11/2026, TuesdayU: Update: 18:16, 03/11/2026, Tuesday
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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his South Korean counterpart that Türkiye and the Republic of Korea are bound by destiny as blood brothers during an official dinner in Seoul, marking his first visit to the Asian nation in eight years and vowing to expand bilateral ties toward new horizons.
Official visit to Seoul
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan attended a dinner on Tuesday at the Presidential Palace in Seoul hosted by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and his wife, marking the Turkish leader's first visit to the Republic of Korea in eight years. Erdogan expressed his pleasure at returning to the Asian nation and thanked Lee for the warm hospitality extended to the Turkish delegation throughout the official visit.
Erdogan described Ankara and Seoul as two nations located at opposite ends of Asia whose geographical distance belies a deep spiritual connection forged through shared sacrifice. "We are two nations located at opposite ends of Asia, far apart geographically but close at heart. We are the finest example of how distance cannot stand in the way when destiny brings people together," he said, invoking a Korean proverb that states "Even if the edges of your clothes barely touch, it is destiny" — a direct reference to the 76-year-old alliance cemented during the Korean War that made them "blood brothers."
Shared history
The Turkish president noted that the two countries are in fact ancient peoples who have maintained contact for more than a thousand years, adding that this shared heritage provides a robust foundation for expanded cooperation in the modern era. "In fact, we are two ancient peoples who have been in contact with each other for more than a thousand years. We want to build on this shared history and take our relations towards new horizons that will contribute to the prosperity of our citizens and the establishment of peace around the world," Erdogan stated, adding that his comprehensive talks with Lee had given him great hope for achieving these ambitious goals.
Erdogan conveyed his warmest greetings to the friendly and allied Korean people on behalf of Türkiye's 80 million citizens, thanking the South Korean presidential couple for making the delegation feel at home during the evening engagement and emphasizing the importance of sustaining the fraternal bond between the two nations.
