President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, "Our primary objective during our visit to Seoul is to enhance political dialogue between our nations and revitalise our economic ties."
In an interview with Yonhap ahead of his visit to Seoul at the invitation of President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea, President Erdoğan commented on Türkiye–South Korea relations.
Emphasising that the friendship between Türkiye and South Korea rests on solid historical foundations, President Erdoğan underscored that this friendship blossomed during the challenging days of the Korean War and has retained its value despite the decades that have passed.
President Erdoğan stated that the bonds of brotherhood and mutual trust have been at the centre of their relationship since those days and that it is a responsibility to pass this treasured legacy on to future generations in an even stronger form, adding:
"Our primary objective during our visit to Seoul is to enhance political dialogue between our nations and revitalise our economic ties. We see enormous prospects in the defence industry, nuclear energy, high technology, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy. Our goal is to transform these prospects into tangible initiatives, facilitate business opportunities for our companies, and enhance reciprocal investments. We have set a target of $15 billion in bilateral trade volume. As we work toward this goal, we prioritise developing a more balanced trade structure, expanding investment, and encouraging greater collaboration in production.
President Erdoğan said he believed the visit would pave the way for concrete steps to further advance cooperation between the two countries.
"We are well aware of our Korean friends' experience with nuclear energy"
Regarding the latest stage reached in negotiations on the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant Project, President Erdoğan underscored the importance attached to the negotiations with Korea on this topic.
President Erdoğan said, “We are well aware of our Korean friends' experience with nuclear energy. Following the Memorandum of Understanding we signed last year, we conducted extensive preliminary feasibility studies with KEPCO. We continue to evaluate the project's technical and economic conditions, as well as its investment strategy. The cost of power generation, how the investment will be funded, and the benefits the project would bring to Türkiye's economy will all be important considerations in the ultimate decision."
Underscoring that contacts with other countries were also being taken into account, President Erdoğan said that all possible choices in light of their national interests are being examined.
“We want bilateral trade to develop a more balanced and sustainable structure”
Referring to trade relations between Türkiye and South Korea, Erdoğan drew attention to the significant imbalance in the distribution of bilateral trade volume.
President Erdoğan said, ''In 2025, our exports to the Republic of Korea amounted to approximately $1.14 billion, while our imports stood at $10.26 billion. We want to narrow this gap and establish a more balanced and sustainable trade structure.''
Highlighting the significant opportunities that Türkiye’s strong manufacturing infrastructure, skilled workforce and strategic location offer to Korean investors, President Erdoğan stated:
''By combining the Republic of Korea’s expertise in technology and innovation with Türkiye’s manufacturing strength, we can achieve far greater success. Hyundai’s long-established automotive manufacturing operations in our country and POSCO’s investments in the steel sector are tangible examples of this partnership. We also welcome Hyundai’s launch of electric vehicle production at its facilities in İzmit.''
President Erdoğan also highlighted the significant opportunities in electronics and semiconductor technologies, machinery and industrial automation, robotics, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, as well as renewable energy. He expressed his hope that Korean investors would increase their investments in Türkiye, establish stronger partnerships with Turkish companies, and achieve more tangible results in joint production and technology development.
President Erdoğan underscored that he welcomed the strong interest shown by South Korea in the PD170 engine developed by TEI, a subsidiary of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).
''We are reinforcing our strategic position between Asia and Europe with robust transport and logistics infrastructure''
Pointing out that the serious security challenges in the Strait of Hormuz and restrictions on maritime traffic are directly affecting global energy markets and international trade, President Erdoğan stated, ''The current crisis has once again demonstrated just how vital it is to develop reliable alternative routes for international trade. As Türkiye, we are reinforcing our strategic position between Asia and Europe with robust transport and logistics infrastructure.''
President Erdoğan expressed his desire to see greater participation by Korean companies in Türkiye’s regional transport and logistics investments and emphasised that Türkiye stands ready to provide the necessary support to Korean companies seeking to invest in Türkiye, establish production facilities and create employment opportunities.
President Erdoğan said, ''In particular, we can develop joint investments in railway infrastructure, logistics centres and intelligent transport systems.''