South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi upgraded bilateral relations to a “strategic partnership” on Thursday, the first visit to South Korea by an Egyptian leader in 10 years.
The two leaders agreed to expand cooperation in the economy, industry, defense, culture and education, according to the South Korean presidential office and government.
The countries formally announced the start of negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement. South Korea also signed a social security agreement with Egypt, the first such deal with an Asian country, the government said. It said the agreements provide a legal and institutional basis for expanding economic and social cooperation.
In a post on X, Lee said Egypt’s visit came less than a year after he traveled to Cairo to mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations. “The cooperation for peace, prosperity and cultural flourishing that we promised in Cairo led to a joint statement today in Seoul upgrading our relationship to a strategic partnership,” he said.
The two sides signed or revised 12 cooperation documents, including a joint declaration on launching the trade talks. The documents cover shipbuilding, clean energy, power infrastructure, information and communications technology, higher education and cultural exchanges.
South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said the countries also signed a memorandum of understanding on a hydrogen tram project in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital. The ministry described Egypt as a strategic gateway linking Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
In defense, the two countries agreed to build on the joint production of South Korea’s K-9 self-propelled howitzer to expand cooperation to local manufacturing and technology partnerships, the government said.
They also agreed to designate next year as a year of mutual cultural exchange, with expanded cooperation between museums and in higher education.
Lee said the two leaders agreed that peace and stability in the Middle East should be restored quickly and reaffirmed the importance of free and safe navigation for all ships and the smooth flow of international maritime logistics.
Lee said he explained South Korea’s efforts to ease tensions and build trust on the Korean Peninsula, and that Egypt expressed its full support. “I thank them,” he said.
“As the Arab proverb says, ‘Choose the companion before the journey,'” Lee wrote. “South Korea and Egypt have now become companions walking a new path together.”
The presidential office said it hoped the new journey would shine brightly, like the “S.H.I.N.E. Initiative,” South Korea’s Middle East policy vision that Lee announced last year at Cairo University.
