President Lee: "Upgrade to a 'strategic partnership'"... Lula: "We want Korean companies to invest in critical minerals"

Brazilian President Lula on a state visit to Korea
Summit held at Cheong Wa Dae... lasted longer than scheduled
To expand and strengthen comprehensive cooperation in the economy, critical minerals, energy transition, and more
Lula: "We hope to pa

President Lee Jaemyung held an expanded summit meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on the 23rd with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is on a state visit to Korea, and the two leaders agreed to upgrade bilateral relations to a "strategic partnership." Marking the adoption of a "Four-Year Action Plan for 2026-2029" to support this, the two countries decided to expand and strengthen all-round cooperation in areas such as the economy, critical minerals, energy transition, health, and science and technology.

Yonhap News Agency

In his opening remarks at the expanded summit held in the Jiphyeon Room of the main building of Cheong Wa Dae, President Lee said, "You are the first Latin American leader we are receiving since our administration took office, and this is the first state visit by a Brazilian president in 21 years," adding, "The significance of this visit is truly exceptional." He continued, "I am convinced that the pledge we made to usher in a new leap forward in bilateral relations through continued exchanges and reciprocal visits will be further solidified on the occasion of this meeting." The summit talks ran longer than originally scheduled.

President Lee first cited trade, investment, and the Korean community in Brazil as the foundation of Korea-Brazil relations. He said, "Brazil is Korea's largest trading partner and top investment destination in South America," adding, "Around 120 Korean companies have advanced into Brazil, and some 50,000 Koreans form the largest Korean expatriate community in Latin America."

Referring to President Lula's previous term in office, Lee said, "During your 2004 term, you led the establishment of a comprehensive cooperative partnership between Korea and Brazil," and assessed that "we have since developed substantive cooperation in a wide range of fields including trade, investment, science and technology, space, the defense industry, and culture." President Lee added, "Today, President Lula and I agreed once again to upgrade our bilateral ties to a strategic partnership."

President Lee presented food security, small and medium-sized enterprises, science and technology, health care and medical services, critical minerals, energy transition, the environment, space, and culture as future areas of cooperation. He said, "We will institutionalize bilateral cooperation across this broad spectrum of fields," and added, "I sincerely welcome the adoption of the Four-Year Action Plan for the implementation of the Korea-Brazil strategic partnership."

In response, President Lula said, "I am very pleased that we will be dealing with a strategic partnership," adding, "The 2026-2029 implementation plan will greatly contribute to our future cooperation." Noting that "bilateral trade has reached 10 billion dollars," he said that by strengthening agreements and cooperation, he would help lower companies' costs and support the expansion of their business activities.

President Lula in particular put critical minerals and the energy transition at the forefront. Citing Brazil's resource conditions, including rare earths and nickel, he said, "We want to attract investment from Korean companies in critical minerals." He also proposed broadening the scope for production and cooperation in strategic sectors such as semiconductors, green hydrogen, and pharmaceuticals. On cooperation in the health sector, Lula said he expected that "the agreement signed between the health authorities will yield good results," and he also mentioned the need to expand exchanges in science, technology and innovation, as well as in culture and education.

Just before the expanded summit, the two leaders displayed their warm rapport several times as they entered the meeting room and posed for commemorative photos. President Lee entered the Jiphyeon Room at around 11:29 a.m., and when President Lula walked in, Lee first approached the Brazilian delegation to greet them, after which the two leaders posed for a commemorative photo in front of the Taegeukgi and the Brazilian flag. At one point they clasped both hands and tilted their heads toward each other as they struck a pose.

Immediately after taking his seat, President Lula handed a booklet to President Lee, saying, "Please sign this first," and President Lee wrote a message in it and then told the interpreter, "Please read it out loud." When the interpreter read the contents in Portuguese, the room broke into applause.

'State visit schedule that began with a warm embrace... "It is art" in the guest book

Yonhap News Agency

Wearing a black coat and a gold necktie, President Lee greeted President Lula with an embrace on the morning of the 23rd in the Grand Garden of Cheong Wa Dae. First Lady Kim Hye-kyung wore a blue jeogori with a green goreum and a light yellow skirt; Cheong Wa Dae explained that this outfit had been specially prepared to reflect the symbolic colors of the Brazilian flag.

The meeting between President Lee and President Lula came three months after the Group of 20 (G20) summit in November last year. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) that morning, President Lee even referred to President Lula as an "eternal comrade." The two leaders have deepened their bond over the shared background of having once been "boy laborers turned presidents."

Cheong Wa Dae held a welcome ceremony featuring the royal procession band, the traditional honor guard, and a children's welcoming group, after which President Lee escorted President Lula into the main building. When President Lula signed the guest book, President Lee applauded and praised it, saying, "It is art." The wording in the guest book was not made public.

Meanwhile, Cheong Wa Dae announced that the two leaders would spend the evening together with their spouses at Sangchunjae for a friendship event combined with a dinner, and that a "chimaek (chicken and beer)"-style reception had been prepared. Korean-style fried chicken and Brazilian-style chicken dishes will be served with draft beer, and there will also be a performance featuring the recitation of works by a Brazilian poet favored by President Lula.