Presdient Lee Jae Myung and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on July 27 hold an expanded summit at the presidential office Palace of the Planalto in Brasilia, Brazil.

By Hong Angie
Photos = Cheong Wa Dae

President Lee Jae Myung, on a state visit to Brazil, and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva have agreed to greatly raise bilateral cooperation in supply chains for key minerals, the defense industry, space and cutting-edge sectors.

This came after their July 27 summit at the presidential office Palace of the Planalto in Brasilia, Brazil.

Their talks came five months after President Lula's visit to Korea in February. In the Brazilian capital, both leaders signed seven memorandums of understanding (MOU) and agreed on a future vision for bilateral cooperation.

At a joint news conference after the summit, President Lee said that through the summit, both sides declared 2026 as the inaugural year for advancing the bilateral strategic partnership and adopted a joint statement, following the four-year action action plan announced in February.

He also pledged to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation across the entire supply chain cycle with Brazil, a major global source of core minerals, as well as companies and institutions in both countries to form a stable supply base for raw materials for companies.

The two presidents reached a consensus in five key areas including economy and security. To expand the basis for Korean corporate advances in Brazil, they signed an MOU on energy cooperation covering renewable energy and smart grids and another on industrial technological cooperation in seven sectors including artificial intelligence, semiconductors and batteries.

Both sides also signed an MOU on space cooperation to simplify procedures for private launch vehicles like the use of the Alcantara Space Center in the Brazilian state of Maranhao, as well as boosting collaboration in space exploration through initiatives such as satellite data sharing.

Seoul and Brasilia will also expedite efforts to make defense and the defense industry as new growth engines. They will launch a joint defense committee in the second half of this year and pursue an agreement to protect and exchange classified military and defense information.

President Lee hailed the installation of Korean-made components in the Brazilian C-390 transport aircraft, which the Republic of Korea Air Force will acquire in the second half of the year, as a symbolic example of bilateral defense cooperation, adding that two-way collaboration will extend to future air mobility.

Seoul and Brasilia will also resume negotiations on the stalled Korea-Mercosur (Southern Common Market) trade agreement and form a working group. In addition, they will also sign MOUs in cinema, sports and education to boost cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

President Lee Jae Myung on July 27 signs the guestbook at the presidential office Palace of the Planalto in Brasilia, Brazil, leaving the message, "I hope for the Republic of Korea and Brazil to maintain their enduring friendship and work together to build a future of shared prosperity."

President Lee Jae Myung on July 27 leaves a message and his signature in the guestbook of the presidential office Palace of the Planalto in Brasilia, Brazil, wishing for lasting bilateral friendship and shared prosperity.

shong9412@korea.kr