President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made remarks and answered journalists' questions aboard the plane on his return to Türkiye after he visited the Republic of Korea.
Saying they had concluded their visit to Seoul at the invitation of President of the Republic of Korea Lee Jae Myung, President Erdoğan said they would always proudly remember the historic ties forged 76 years ago through the sacrifices of Turkish soldiers during the Korean War, which made the two nations blood brothers.
Recalling that they elevated relations built on this shared history to a strategic partnership in 2012, President Erdoğan said they would jointly mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2027.
Target of 15 billion dollars in trade volume
Emphasising that the increasing number of high-level visits between the two countries contributed to the advancement of bilateral cooperation, President Erdoğan continued:
"As you may recall, Mr. President paid an official visit to our country last November and also attended the NATO Ankara Summit. During this visit, as two strategic partners, we once again reaffirmed our shared determination to advance our relations further. Trade and investment are at the forefront of our bilateral relations. We aim to increase our trade volume, which has exceeded $11 billion, to $15 billion through a win-win approach. Our relevant institutions maintain contact on several issues, including updating our free trade agreement. During my meeting with Mr President, I drew particular attention to investment. I briefed leading Korean companies with a global reach on the opportunities Türkiye offers to investors. As you know, we have held talks in the past on cooperation with Korea in nuclear energy. During this visit, we demonstrated renewed determination to pursue cooperation in this area." Our talks will continue, particularly on financing.
"A full and productive visit in every respect"
President Erdoğan said that, building on successful defence industry projects such as the Altay tank and Fırtına howitzers, they discussed areas where cooperation could be further advanced.
President Erdoğan also emphasised that they had assessed opportunities for cooperation in the automotive sector, advanced technologies and artificial intelligence, and said, “We signed five documents in the fields of energy, mining, scientific cooperation, project financing and investment.” The visit was full and productive in every respect. The President and his esteemed spouse also treated our delegation with exceptional hospitality. At every stage of the visit, from the welcoming ceremony to the official dinner, we witnessed firsthand the importance they attach to their friendship with Türkiye and our nation. I hope that our consultations and the decisions we have taken will lead to positive outcomes for relations between the Republic of Türkiye and the Republic of Korea."
Defence industry cooperation
In response to the question, “Is a cooperation agreement between the Republic of Türkiye and the Republic of Korea on UAVs and UCAVs possible in the near future?”, President Erdoğan said that defence industry relations between Türkiye and the Republic of Korea could not be assessed merely in terms of one or two weapons.
President Erdoğan noted that the matter should be considered in terms of defence industry technology as a whole and said, “Defence industry technology covers initiatives extending from the Altay tank and Fırtına howitzers to UAVs and UCAVs, air defence systems, the latest developments in the maritime field and submarines. Our Ministry of National Defence will discuss and address these matters with their counterpart, and we will take the necessary steps accordingly."
Russia-Ukraine War
Responding to the question, "During his visit to Türkiye, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine emphasised that the war should be brought to a diplomatic stage and said that he trusted your mediation and diplomatic influence. He stated that a summit could be held in Türkiye at the leaders' level and that they would be pleased if Türkiye organised it. Does the same apply to the Russian side? Is there a prospect of a trilateral summit?" President Erdoğan said:
"We had the opportunity to discuss these matters in detail during Mr Zelenskyy's visit to Türkiye on Saturday. We also had a working lunch together. We informed Mr Zelenskyy of the critical importance of pursuing diplomatic measures to facilitate negotiations to conclude the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. As Türkiye, we are doing everything possible to pave the way for peace and will continue to do so. Following this meeting with Mr Zelenskyy, we now want to meet with Mr Putin as well and address the Russian dimension of the matter. In the meantime, my relevant colleagues, particularly our Minister of Foreign Affairs, will meet with their counterparts and prepare the Russian side for this meeting as well."
Relations with Azerbaijan
President Erdoğan also responded to the question, "What is your take on relations with Azerbaijan? What is your perspective on the comments suggesting that there is a crisis in the relations?" He said,
“November 8 is Azerbaijan’s Victory Day. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I intend to visit Azerbaijan on that day. I hope this visit will provide an opportunity for us to take the necessary steps. I have already spoken by phone with President İlham Aliyev of Azerbaijan. I have also sent both the Director of Intelligence and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, telephone diplomacy has also been taking place, both with Mr İlham and between our spouses, and these contacts are ongoing. They also attach great importance to Victory Day on the 8th. As I always say, our relations with Azerbaijan extend far beyond conventional diplomatic engagement. The unbreakable bond between our two countries is rooted in our shared history, culture and destiny, as well as, inshallah, our shared future. Certainly, the brotherhood between Türkiye and Azerbaijan can overcome any obstacle.
When asked how the results of the midterm elections held in the US would affect Türkiye-US relations and the American administration's Middle East policy, President Erdoğan replied, "I hope the election results will be auspicious for the American people. Likewise, I hope the implications of these results for our region and global politics will be favourable. It is probably a little premature to make definitive statements at this stage."
Noting that Turkish-American relations rest on deep-rooted and solid foundations, President Erdoğan said:
"We are two countries that are NATO allies and share long-standing strategic relations. As you know, our region has been going through a very turbulent period for a long time. Unfortunately, wars, conflicts and acts of oppression continue in our immediate neighbourhood and beyond. We want to see peace restored in our region as soon as possible. Our foremost hope is that the election results will contribute to lasting peace and stability across our region. To this end, we will continue to maintain a close dialogue with both the American administration and the House of Representatives and the Senate."