South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Italian President Sergio Mattarella agreed Thursday to elevate bilateral relations to a special strategic partnership, pledging to expand cooperation in cutting-edge industries, energy security and supply chain resilience as Seoul seeks to deepen its engagement with Europe. The agreement was reached during summit talks at the presidential Quirinal Palace in Rome, the second stop on Lee’s first European tour since taking office a year ago. Speaking at a joint press conference after the meeting, Lee said the upgrade reflects the two countries’ shared determination to develop their relationship “in an even more dynamic way.”
The leaders identified semiconductors, artificial intelligence, defense manufacturing, aerospace, energy and biotechnology as key sectors for deeper cooperation. Lee also highlighted a South Korea-Italy business roundtable scheduled for Friday in Rome, where representatives from around 30 companies from both countries are expected to discuss new business opportunities and industrial collaboration. According to industry sources, attendees are expected to include Lee Jae-yong, executive chairman of Samsung Electronics; Choi Soo-yeon, CEO of Naver; Ryu Jin, chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries; and Choi Byung-oh, chairman of the Korea Federation of Textile Industries, among other business leaders.
