Lee, Lula meet in Brasilia for talks on ways to enhance cooperation between Korea, Brazil

BRASILIA — Korean President Lee Jae Myung held a summit with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva here on Monday as Seoul seeks to strengthen cooperation with the South American country in critical minerals and supply chains. The Lee-Lula summit in Brasilia marks their second official talks this year, following their previous summit in February in Seoul, during which the leaders agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a strategic partnership. Escorted by mounted honor guards, Lee arrived at the Brazilian presidential palace in the capital, where he was greeted by Lula with a hug and a smile.

The Korean president arrived here Sunday as part of his three-nation South America tour that will later take him to Chile and Argentina. The leaders were expected to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation, especially in critical minerals and supply chains, as Seoul seeks to diversify its trade portfolio amid shifts in the global trade environment. They may also discuss ways to resume stalled negotiations on a trade agreement between Korea and South American trade bloc Mercosur, according to Ko