Türkiye, South Korea agree to expand nuclear, defense cooperation

Strategic partnership

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday hailed Türkiye as a "blood brother" while hosting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Seoul, emphasizing that the two leaders agreed to deepen strategic cooperation across nuclear energy, defense industry and advanced technology sectors. Speaking at a joint news conference following their one-on-one and delegation-level meetings at the Presidential Palace, Lee paid tribute to the approximately 20,000 Turkish soldiers who fought alongside South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War. "Türkiye is our blood brother in the hearts of our people, meaning a brother bound to us by blood," Lee said.

Defense and nuclear energy

Lee noted that cooperation on the nuclear power plant project in Türkiye is progressing smoothly, adding that the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation Regarding Nuclear Power Project Financing during the summit. The leaders also reviewed progress on the Altay main battle tank project and agreed to strengthen joint production and technological cooperation in the defense sector. "We agreed to deepen defense industry cooperation by increasing joint production and technological cooperation and exploring ways for companies from both countries to jointly enter third-country markets," Lee said.

Trade and technology

Bilateral trade between the two countries reached $10.7 billion last year, setting a record since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Lee noted. The two countries also agreed to convene their bilateral Joint Science and Technology Committee for the first time and signed an MOU on Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation covering artificial intelligence, advanced communications and materials. Cooperation would expand into biotechnology, energy, natural resources and mining, including efforts to diversify critical mineral supply chains, Lee added.

Regional coordination

The two leaders agreed to cooperate in restoring peace on the Korean Peninsula and to expand coordination through multilateral platforms including the UN, G20 and MIKTA — comprising Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Türkiye and Australia. Lee said the Turkish government reaffirmed its consistent support for Seoul's policy toward North Korea, adding that they also discussed the Russia-Ukraine war and the situation in the Middle East. The two countries would maintain close communication to promote peaceful resolution of disputes as middle powers committed to a rules-based international order, according to the joint statement.