NEWS CENTER-4 agreements were signed between Türkiye and South Korea in the fields of science, technology, natural resources, mining, energy and nuclear energy.
Following the one-on-one and inter-delegation meetings at the Presidential Palace in Seoul, the signing ceremony of the agreements between the two countries began. Four agreements were signed between the two countries in the presence of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
The "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Fields of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI)" between the Ministry of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Turkey and the Ministry of Science and Information-Communication Technologies of the Republic of South Korea was signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan and Minister of Science and Information-Communication Technologies of South Korea Bae Kyung-hoon on behalf of the Ministry of Industry and Technology.
The "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Natural Resources and Mining" between the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Turkey and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources of the Republic of South Korea was signed by Alparslan Bayraktar, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and Kim Jung-Kwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources of South Korea.
The "Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening Cooperation in the Field of Energy" between the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Turkey and the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment of the Republic of South Korea was signed by Bayraktar, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and Kim Sung-whan, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment of South Korea.
The "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation Regarding Nuclear Power Project Financing" between Turkey Nuclear Energy Inc. and South Korea Export-Import Bank was signed by Turkey Nuclear Energy Inc. General Manager Necati Yamaç and South Korea Export-Import Bank President and General Manager Hwang Ki-yeon.
President Erdoğan is making statements at the signing ceremony of the agreements and the joint press conference with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. Here are the highlights from Erdoğan's speech:
"Mr. President, esteemed members of the delegation, esteemed members of the press, I greet you with my most heartfelt feelings and respect. In response to the invitation of my dear friend Mr. Myung, I am very pleased to visit our strategic partner and close friend Korea again after 8 years. I thank Mr. President for the warm hospitality. Our relations, which turned into blood brotherhood 76 years ago with the sacrifices made by the heroic Mehmetçik for the independence of Korea, are still at an exceptional level today." We are very happy to see the progress. You will remember, we hosted our valuable friend in our country in November 2025 and last July. Undoubtedly, these mutual visits contribute significantly to our strategic partnership.
Today, we discussed steps that will advance our cooperation on many issues in a dynamic and future-oriented manner. Our economic and commercial relations were among the prominent areas in our discussions. We discussed the steps that will enable our bilateral trade, which exceeded 11 billion dollars last year, to reach the 15 billion dollar target we previously determined, in a balanced and sustainable manner. We focused on the work of our relevant institutions, including amending the free trade agreement between us according to current conditions. More than 400 Korean companies operate in our country. We are taking steps towards joint projects with Korean companies not only in our country but also in markets where Türkiye is strong. Another important topic of our discussions was nuclear energy and mining. The memorandum of understanding signed between the Turkish Nuclear Energy Company and the Korean Electric Power Corporation in November 2025 constitutes an important basis for our cooperation. I believe that the documents signed today between our energy ministries will take this cooperation further. We attach great importance to cooperation with Korea in many advanced technology fields, especially in battery production, artificial intelligence and semiconductors. As you know, the defense industry is one of the areas where our strategic partnership yields concrete results. In my meeting with Mr. President, we pointed out the need to increase the number of successful joint projects such as Fırtına howitzers and Altay tank.
Dear members of the press, we are planning special events on the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries, which we will celebrate next year. We are two countries that play active roles in their regions and beyond and attach importance to global peace and stability. Our views on international issues largely overlap. We support the dialogue-based approach that aims to establish lasting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. We are determined to further our cooperation in multilateral platforms, including the United Nations, MIC and G20, for the benefit of all humanity. We will continue to work closely with my dear friend, Mr. President Myung, to further develop the brotherly relations between our countries. "I would like to express my gratitude to them on behalf of myself and my nation for their contributions to our bilateral relations."
Stating that they will work together with Türkiye on artificial intelligence projects, South Korean President Lee said, "We signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in nuclear power plant financing." he said.
