(2nd LD) S. Korea agrees to support East Timor's economic, social development

South Korea and East Timor agreed Friday to strengthen development cooperation to facilitate Seoul's assistance to the Southeast Asian country's economic and social development while working closely together in intellectual property and climate change responses.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta reached the agreements during their summit at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, marking the first official visit by an East Timorese leader to South Korea since they established diplomatic relations in 2002.

The summit came ahead of the 25th anniversary next year of the two countries' diplomatic relations.

During Friday's summit, the two countries agreed to strengthen development cooperation to help East Timor achieve sustainable economic and social development, Lee announced during a joint press announcement with Horta.

"We agreed to actively share our experience of achieving national development with Timor-Leste and work together to translate that experience into tangible improvements in the lives of Timor-Leste's people," Lee said, referring to East Timor by its official name.

As part of the agreement, the two countries will conclude a pact on grant aid at the earliest possible date to implement development cooperation projects, the South Korean president noted.

Lee and Horta additionally agreed to pursue "substantive" cooperation in intellectual property (IP) to share their IP protection systems and help strengthen East Timor's capacity to protect IP while agreeing to explore new opportunities for cooperation in the green economy and climate change responses.

Under the agreements reached Friday, the two countries will establish a regular consultation mechanism to lay an institutional foundation for the continued development of bilateral ties and expand cooperation across all areas, Lee also noted.

During the meeting, Lee explained his government's policy toward North Korea, which aims to establish peace that eliminates the need to fight and prioritizes dialogue and cooperation, and Horta expressed his "full support," Lee said.

"Ahead of this historic milestone (of the 25th anniversary), President Ramos-Horta's official visit to Korea will serve as a critical turning point, transforming our two nations' special bond, forged through peace and democracy, into a forward-looking partnership," he said. "Korea will always remain a trusted friend and a steadfast partner on Timor-Leste's great journey forward."

The joint announcement followed a luncheon where the two leaders were served dishes that fused their countries' culinary cultures, including a main dish of chicken drumsticks, a popular food in East Timor, marinated in Korean sauce, according to the presidential office.

Given that rice is a stable food in East Timor, the lunch was composed of traditional Korean cuisine, which is also based on rice, while coffee from East Timor was served, it added.

Lee plans to gift a number of Korean products to Horta on the occasion of their summit, including an art book on miniature paintings of rare Korean plants and red ginseng, Cheong Wa Dae said.

In an X post the previous day, Lee said, "As we look ahead to the 25th anniversary of our diplomatic relations next year, I hope this visit will mark another important milestone in our enduring friendship and pave the way for an even stronger partnership in the years ahead."