Lula meets South Korea’s Lee to deepen trade and defence ties
The Lula–Lee meeting follows their most recent contact on the sidelines of the G20 in November
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva began the official programme of his state visit to South Korea in Seoul on Monday, ahead of talks with President Lee Jae-myung expected to strengthen cooperation on trade, defence and other strategic areas.
“With all the South Korean people, I extend the warmest welcome to the state visit of the respected President Lula to the Republic of Korea,” Lee wrote on X hours before the summit.
The trip — Lula’s first to South Korea since 2005 — includes the signing of several memorandums of understanding and a joint statement, according to the South Korean presidential office. The agenda includes discussions on trade, defence, energy, agriculture, science and technology, among other areas.
Seoul views Brazil as its leading trading partner in South America, and officials have signalled interest in expanding ties into higher value-added industrial cooperation.
Lula arrived in Seoul after a diplomatic stop in India, as global trade uncertainty grows and tensions over tariffs and supply chains persist. In New Delhi, the Brazilian leader struck a political note ahead of his expected meeting with US President Donald Trump, saying: “We don’t want a new Cold War,” while urging that countries be “treated equally.”
Trade, investment and priority sectors
Brazil and South Korea’s economic relationship remains substantial. Brazil’s foreign ministry said bilateral trade totalled US$10.8 billion in 2025, with a Brazilian surplus of US$174 million.
The ministry also said South Korea is among the notable foreign investors in Brazil, with an estimated investment stock of US$8.8 billion in 2024.
The Lula–Lee meeting follows their most recent contact on the sidelines of the G20 in November, and comes as Brasília seeks to diversify partnerships in Asia while pushing for deeper technological and industrial cooperation.
