South Korea and Brazil agreed to elevate their ties to a strategic partnership, adopting a four-year action plan and unveiling a package of cooperation deals during a summit between the two leaders Monday.
President Lee Jae Myung met with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday during Lula’s three-day state visit to South Korea, which began the previous day.
Lee announced the elevation of bilateral ties, citing the steady rise in trade — which has exceeded $10 billion annually over the past five years — and expanding cooperation in future sectors such as space, biopharmaceuticals and cultural industries.
“Based on this solid cooperative relationship, President Lula and I have decided to elevate bilateral relations to a strategic partnership,” Lee said during a televised news conference following the summit.
Seoul and Brasilia formalized diplomatic relations in 1959 and established a “comprehensive cooperative partnership” during President Roh Moo-hyun’s 2004 visit to Brazil.
“The Korea-Brazil four-year action plan adopted today will serve as a road map to guide bilateral relations across comprehensive fields, including politics, the economy, practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges,” Lee added.
