Turkiye and East Timor Presidents Visit South Korea for Summits

President Yoon Suk Yeol will hold separate summits with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on November 3 and East Timorese President José Ramos-Horta on November 6. The discussions will focus on expanding practical cooperation and addressing key international issues.

Chief Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong announced the visit schedules and summit agendas in a written briefing on November 1.

President Erdoğan will visit South Korea from November 2 to 4, marking his first state visit in eight years. This meeting comes about four months after their last encounter at the NATO summit in Ankara in July.

The two leaders will begin their official schedule on November 3 with a welcoming ceremony, followed by a summit, a signing ceremony for memorandums of understanding, and a state dinner.

During the talks, they will review the progress of projects agreed upon during President Yoon's state visit to Turkiye last November. They will also discuss cooperation in trade, investment, nuclear energy, defense, bioenergy, and science and technology, as well as ways to enhance human and cultural exchanges. Additionally, they will address international issues, including the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East.

Turkiye is a major participant in the Korean War and a NATO member. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1957 and formed a strategic partnership in 2012. The Blue House expressed hope that this visit will strengthen bilateral relations ahead of the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic ties next year.

President Ramos-Horta will officially visit South Korea from November 5 to 7 at the invitation of President Yoon. This marks the first official bilateral visit by an East Timorese leader since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 2002.

The two presidents will hold a summit on November 6, followed by a signing ceremony for memorandums of understanding, an official luncheon, and a joint press conference. They will discuss expanding cooperation in areas such as diplomacy, security, intellectual property, climate change, education, and human exchanges, as well as regional dynamics and key international issues.

President Ramos-Horta, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996, has expressed support for the South Korean people's efforts to uphold democracy. South Korea has supported peace and socio-economic development in East Timor through participation in UN peacekeeping operations and election management since the country gained independence in 2002.

East Timor became the 11th member of ASEAN last year. The Blue House anticipates that President Ramos-Horta's visit will enhance practical cooperation between the two countries and strengthen Korea-ASEAN cooperation ahead of the 25th anniversary of their diplomatic relations next year.