During Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's visit to Seoul for a summit with President Lee Jae Myung, Korea and Italy affirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in cutting-edge sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and critical minerals.
The Italian prime minister's visit marked the first time in nearly two decades that a leader from Italy had visited South Korea, the first visit by a European leader since President Lee took office in June, and the first visit by a foreign leader since the presidential office returned to Cheong Wa Dae in late 2019.
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Prior to this visit, the two leaders had encountered each other at the G7 summit in Canada in June and during the UN General Assembly in New York in September. Lee mentioned during his introductory comments that collaboration was increasing in high-level industries such as science, technology, aerospace, and defense.
Meloni highlighted the fact that Korea has emerged as one of the leading countries in terms of per capita consumption of Italian products. In reply, Meloni, holding the prestigious position of president of the Council of Ministers, remarked that despite the geographical distance between Korea and Italy, the two nations possess numerous commonalities.
“Both countries pursue creativity and innovation based on traditional values, and in that sense, we can say we share the same values”, Meloni says.
“The two countries should further explore which areas hold the greatest potential for development”.
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She identified crucial mineral supply chains, semiconductors, transportation, infrastructure, and investments as the primary areas in which cooperation should be expanded. She emphasized the need for expedited collaborative research and strategic partnerships on essential minerals, while also highlighting Italy's efforts in facilitating favorable conditions for significant Korean corporations to make investments in areas such as robotics and microelectronics.
During a collaborative press briefing following the summit, the two officials made a commitment to enhance their strategic discussions as a primary platform for aligning on regional and global matters, and consented to draft a fresh bilateral roadmap for 2026-2030 to steer collaboration between Korea and Italy.
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They reiterated their dedication to fostering a peaceful and thriving Indo-Pacific region, expressing their intent to collaborate closely in enhancing regional stability. Additionally, they emphasized their joint commitment to achieving the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and securing lasting peace in the area.
The two leaders also committed to enhancing collaboration in the realm of sports through capitalizing on significant global events, such as the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. Meloni additionally extended an offer from Italian President Sergio Mattarella for Lee to make an official visit to Italy later in the year.