South Korea, Turkey to boost nuclear, defence ties

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan agreed to expand cooperation in nuclear energy and defence during a summit. Lee stated the agreement includes Turkey's major power project.

The leaders also agreed to collaborate on infrastructure, biotechnology, and critical minerals. Erdogan, on his first visit to South Korea since 2018, mentioned discussions on increasing bilateral trade from $11 billion to $15 billion.

Turkey plans to build four nuclear reactors in the northern province of Sinop and four more in the Thrace region, with South Korea competing for the business. The Sinop project is central to Turkey's energy expansion goals, and Lee said cooperation on the reactors is proceeding smoothly.

Erdogan said South Korea could be a partner in developing the Sinop project. A memorandum of understanding was signed between Turkey's TUNAS and South Korea's Korea Electric Power Corp during Lee's visit to Ankara in 2025.

About 80 officials and executives, including Hyundai executives, will attend a banquet after the summit. Hyundai has run an automobile manufacturing plant in Turkey since 1997 and has supplied most of Turkey's trams since 2008.

Both countries aim to increase joint defence exports to third countries. Erdogan highlighted successful projects like the Firtina howitzer and Altay tank, and Lee noted Turkey's support for South Korea's policy toward North Korea and the leaders agreed to coordinate strategically on peace on the Korean Peninsula.