Erdogan’s visit is his first state visit to South Korea in eight years. It follows Lee’s state visit to Türkiye last November and comes about four months after the two leaders met at the NATO summit in Ankara in July.
The leaders will hold a summit on Tuesday afternoon following an official welcoming ceremony. A memorandum-signing ceremony and state banquet are also scheduled, according to South Korea’s presidential office.
The talks will review progress on projects agreed upon at last year’s summit and explore further cooperation in trade, investment, nuclear power and defense. Biotechnology, energy, science and technology, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges are also on the agenda.
The leaders will discuss developments on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East, along with other international issues.
Türkiye, a major NATO member and one of the principal contributors of troops during the Korean War, established diplomatic relations with South Korea in 1957. The countries elevated their ties to a strategic partnership in 2012.
The presidential office said Erdogan’s visit would help strengthen that partnership ahead of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.
Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta will make an official visit to South Korea from Thursday through Saturday at Lee’s invitation. It will be the first bilateral official visit by a Timorese head of state since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 2002.
Lee and Ramos-Horta will hold talks on Friday morning, followed by a memorandum-signing ceremony, an official luncheon and a joint press statement.
Their discussions will cover diplomacy and security, intellectual property, climate change, education and people-to-people exchanges, as well as regional and international affairs.
Ramos-Horta, a 1996 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has praised the South Korean people’s efforts to defend democracy, the presidential office said.
South Korea has supported Timor-Leste’s peacebuilding and development through the deployment of its Sangnoksu military unit for United Nations peacekeeping operations, assistance with election administration and development cooperation.
Timor-Leste, which gained independence in 2002, became the 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) last year, giving it a growing role in South Korea’s engagement with the regional bloc.
The presidential office said the visit would deepen practical cooperation ahead of the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.
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