President Lee Jae-myung and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva held a summit at Cheong Wa Dae on February 23 and agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a “Strategic Partnership” for the first time in 67 years since establishing diplomatic ties in 1959.

 

Immediately following the talks, the two leaders announced in a joint press statement the adoption of the “Korea-Brazil Four-Year Action Plan,” encompassing political and economic ties, practical cooperation, and civilian exchanges, and stated it would serve as the mid-to-long-term roadmap for bilateral cooperation.

 

 

One key outcome of this summit was the formation of a shared understanding on the necessity of concluding a trade agreement between Korea and the South American Common Market (MERCOSUR). MERCOSUR is South America's largest economic community, comprising Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, representing a massive market of over 280 million people.

 

While South Korea has faced difficulties on key issues such as market access for goods, President Lee emphasized the need to resume negotiations. President Lula reportedly expressed deep agreement that concluding the agreement is an urgent task.

 

The elevation of the relationship to a strategic partnership is seen as a diplomatic foothold for expanding economic cooperation with South America.

 

The two countries signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and agreements in 10 areas, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), healthcare, and agriculture. Notably, the MOU on regulatory cooperation in healthcare directly links to expanding exports of K-beauty cosmetics, which are popular in Brazil. The science and technology cooperation MOU includes supply chain collaboration, such as the participation of Korean parts manufacturers in Brazil's transport aircraft manufacturing process.

 

 

President Lula emphasized that the swift completion of sanitary and phytosanitary procedures for Brazilian beef exports would also benefit Korean consumers.

 

The two leaders also agreed to expand cooperation in future industries. President Lee mentioned aviation supply chain cooperation involving Korean companies in Brazilian transport aircraft manufacturing, stating they would advance to a higher level of cooperation, such as jointly developing next-generation commercial aircraft.

 

He also referenced the attempt last December to launch Korea's first commercial space launch vehicle from Brazil's Alcântara Space Center, evaluating it as an important asset for bilateral space cooperation. They agreed that mutually complementary cooperation is also possible in energy transition and defense industries.

 

Furthermore, the two leaders agreed to continue close consultations on security and global affairs. In particular, they shared the view that peace on the Korean Peninsula has a significant impact on global peace beyond Northeast Asia. President Lee explained the will to resume inter-Korean dialogue and pursue peaceful coexistence, proposing cooperation to uphold the value of peace on a global scale.

 

President Lula emphasized the importance of defending democracy, referencing the shared experience of both nations achieving democratization in the 1980s. He invited President Lee to the “Summit for Democracy” in Barcelona, Spain, and also requested a visit to Brazil.

 

The two nations also confirmed a shared vision in economic philosophy. President Lula's “inclusive growth” and the Korean government's “Basic Society” initiative converge in their simultaneous pursuit of poverty eradication and economic development.

 

President Lee outlined the vision for an “AI Basic Society” where all share the benefits of artificial intelligence technology advancement and proposed joint research on related policies.

 

Cultural and people-to-people exchanges will also expand. Discussions covered promoting Korean language education in Brazil, student exchange programs, and content cooperation like joint film and video production.

 

During the dinner, President Lee referred to President Lula as his “amigo,” deepening their friendship. The two leaders emphasized human solidarity, sharing common life trajectories as former child laborers and labor activists.

 

Major business leaders, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun, also attended, demonstrating their commitment to expanding economic cooperation.

 

 

This elevation of the strategic partnership is seen as a symbolic turning point for Korean diplomacy, strengthening cooperation with the global Southern Hemisphere.

 

This agreement, encompassing expanded economic cooperation, the establishment of a future industry alliance, solidarity on democratic values, and deepened cultural exchanges, holds international significance as it elevates the Korea-Brazil relationship from a simple trading partnership to a strategic cooperative partnership.

 

Moving beyond 67 years of diplomatic history, the two nations have now opened a new chapter of cooperation for the next generation, guided by a shared roadmap.

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(translated by AI, edited by David Kendall)