Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit to South Korea on June 4 will focus on strengthening defense industry cooperation, particularly on unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as nuclear energy partnership, sources from the ministry have informed.
Fidan, as part of his South Asia tour, will pay an official visit to Korea, where he will hold talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun. He is also expected to deliver a speech at the Korea University.
Fidan is expected to underscore a mutual commitment to strengthening strategic ties and outline steps to accelerate trade and economic cooperation, according to the sources.
Fidan will also convey to the Korean side that upgrading the existing free trade agreement is essential for boosting trade ties.
On the bilateral front, partnerships and joint investments in the field of nuclear and renewable energy as well as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, advanced technologies, biotechnology and new-generation battery systems are also on Fidan’s agenda, the sources said.
The sources noted that the defense industry will be on the agenda, driven by successful past cooperation on the production of Altay tanks. In light of this achievement, Fidan is expected to underscore the potential for joint production of drones.
Fidan and Hyun will exchange views on global and regional developments, including the recent conflict between the United States and Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
In a recent interview, Fidan underscored Türkiye’s desire to see South Korea participate in the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara this July. South Korea counts among the alliance’s key global partners, alongside Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
