The Türkiye-South Korea State Visit, which took place in Ankara on November 24-25, 2025, marked a strategic turning point that transformed the ties between the two countries, which have been ongoing since the 1950-1953 Korean War, into tangible geo-economic and geo-strategic gains in a multipolar world order.[i]
Türkiye’s dispatch of 21,492 soldiers and the loss of 721 martyrs during the Korean War laid the foundations for brotherhood ties with South Korea. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized “blood-sealed brotherhood” at a joint press conference and reintegrated collective memory into current diplomatic discourse.[ii][iii] This visit opens South Korea’s traditionally Pacific-focused foreign policy to Eurasia, while also creating an area of opening for Türkiye to the Asia-Pacific.
The most concrete outcome of the summit was the institutionalization of relations through five memoranda of understanding and the Joint Economic Commission, which reconvened after a ten-year hiatus. The bilateral trade volume, which stood at $12.8 billion at the end of 2024, exceeded $15 billion in 2025; Hyundai Assan’s investment in an electric vehicle factory in Kocaeli and the revision talks on the Free Trade Agreement were significant developments in the economic sphere.[iv]
In particular, the joint development project between Hyundai Rotem and Altay for the main battle tank engine and power unit will make significant contributions to Türkiye’s defense industry.[v][vi] This cooperation demonstrates the potential for both countries to establish a mid-tier defense profile in defense exports on a global scale.
The memorandum of understanding signed between KEPCO and Türkiye Nuclear Energy Inc. in the field of nuclear energy stands out as the most critical element of the geo-economic dimension. Seoul, which is offering APR-1400 reactor[vii] technology for the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant, also plans to export its nuclear fuel cycle and operational experience.[viii]
In terms of regional security, the two countries demonstrated normative alignment by calling for a ceasefire and a two-state solution in Gaza and emphasizing a political solution in Syria.[ix] Contacts initiated on the margins of the G20 Johannesburg Summit on the MIKTA (Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Türkiye, Australia) platform have strengthened the role of middle powers in multilateral diplomacy.
The Ankara Summit held on November 24-25, 2025, marked the most mature and strategic phase of Türkiye-South Korea relations in the post-Cold War era. The emotional and normative ground created by the Korean War has now moved beyond mere diplomatic rhetoric and is supported by concrete projects and investment commitments in high-tech sectors such as the defense industry, nuclear energy, biotechnology, and infrastructure.
Two middle powers are consciously deepening their roles as bridge actors in a multipolar world order and attempting to fill the gaps created by hegemonic competition with their own capacities. Another noteworthy point in this regard is the timing of the summit. It is no coincidence that the two countries are positioning each other as strategic buffers and technology transfer partners at a time when South Korea is facing increasing tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea as a part of its alliance with the United States, and Türkiye is experiencing a continuing crisis of confidence in its relations with the West following the S-400 and F-35 crises within NATO.
Especially the initiative to advance the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant project with Korean technology against Russia’s monopoly in Akkuyu is the most obvious manifestation of Ankara’s efforts to establish a multi-vector structure for its energy security. Likewise, the joint production of Hyundai Rotem engines for the Altay tank and K9 howitzer variants will contribute to Türkiye’s objective of increasing the domestic share in its defense industry.
Consequently, the 2025 Ankara Summit marks the declaration that Türkiye-South Korea relations have evolved into a sustainable strategic partnership, no longer based solely on historical brotherhood rhetoric, but rather through creating mutual dependence in high-tech, high-value-added, and high-risk areas. This partnership reflects the will to forge its own authenticity without fully aligning with either the US or Chinese axes. If the foundations for cooperation are laid in Sinop over the next five years, the Altay tank enters serial production, and bilateral trade volume reaches the $30 billion mark; this relationship could become a decisive factor not only regionally but also in global power balances. The key determinant in this respect is the capacity of the two countries to develop a common response to regional crises and their potential to show joint resistance to hegemonic pressures.
[i] “South Korean President Lee to visit Türkiye at Erdoğan’s invitation”, Daily Sabah, https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/diplomacy/south-korean-president-lee-to-visit-turkiye-at-erdogans-invitation, (Access Date: 25.11.2025).
[ii] “South Korean president hails ‘brotherly’ Türkiye ahead of visit, Daily Sabah, https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/diplomacy/south-korean-president-hails-brotherly-turkiye-ahead-of-visit, (Access Date: 25.11.2025).
[iii] “(2nd LD) Lee, Erdogan agree to bolster defense, nuclear energy cooperation in summit talks”, Yonhap News Agency, https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20251124011552315, (Access Date: 25.11.2025).
[iv] “Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan: Yatırım yapacak Koreli şirketlere her türlü desteği vereceğiz”, Independent Türkçe, https://www.indyturk.com/node/768658/haber/cumhurbaşkanı-erdoğan-yatırım-yapacak-koreli-şirketlere-her-türlü-desteği, (Access Date: 25.11.2025).
[v] “Hyundai Rotem: Türkiye ile tank üretimindeki iş birliğimiz sürüyor”, Defense Here, https://tr.defensehere.com/hyundai-rotem-turkiye-ile-tank-uretimindeki-is-birligimiz-suruyor, (Access Date: 25.11.2025).
[vi] “President Lee Jae-myung Seeks Defense, Nuclear Cooperation with Turkey”, The Chosen Daily, https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/11/23/O55M36COIFHH3KJMDE6E3ZXRLM/, (Access Date: 25.11.2025).
[vii] “Power plant profile: Sinop APR-1400 (IV), Turkey”, Power Technology, https://www.power-technology.com/marketdata/power-plant-profile-sinop-apr-1400-iv-turkey/, (Access Date: 25.11.2025).
[viii] “Lee vows to expand support for Korean War veterans in Turkey”, Yonhap News Agency, https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20251125011000315, (Access Date: 25.11.2025).
[ix] “Türkiye, South Korea eye deeper cooperation on regional issues”, Daily Sabah, https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/diplomacy/turkiye-south-korea-eye-deeper-cooperation-on-regional-issues, (Access Date: 25.11.2025).
