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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit South Korea from Nov. 1-4 at the invitation of President Lee Jae Myung, with the two leaders set to discuss their strategic partnership and sign agreements aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, Türkiye's head of communications Burhanettin Duran announced Sunday.
The visit comes as Ankara and Seoul seek to expand cooperation in trade, investment, defense and technology, with bilateral trade reaching $8.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026 and both countries targeting $15 billion.
Duran confirmed the visit's schedule in a statement on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.
“Our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will visit Seoul on Nov. 1-4, 2026, at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Lee Jae Myung.”
“During the official talks scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3, all aspects of the Strategic Partnership between the two countries will be discussed, and views will be exchanged on current regional and global issues,” he said.
“Various documents aimed at strengthening the legal framework of bilateral relations will also be signed during the visit,” he added.
Erdogan and Lee last met during the NATO summit held in Ankara in July.
The upcoming talks are expected to address cooperation in energy, the defense industry, transportation, infrastructure, high technology, culture and tourism, according to information compiled by Anadolu Agency.
South Korea is included in Türkiye's "Far Countries Strategy," under which Ankara seeks to diversify its international economic partnerships and expand trade, investment and cooperation in strategic industries.
The visit will provide an opportunity for the two countries to review bilateral relations and discuss further steps toward strengthening their economic partnership.
Economic ties between Ankara and Seoul have expanded under their free trade agreement (FTA), with bilateral trade rising to $11.4 billion in 2025, compared with $10.2 billion in 2024.
Trade between the two countries reached $8.7 billion during the January-September period of 2026, as Türkiye and South Korea work toward their $15 billion bilateral trade target.
The framework agreement and agreement on trade in goods, providing for the gradual liberalization of bilateral trade, entered into force May 1, 2013. Agreements covering trade in services and investment followed on Aug. 1, 2018.
Bilateral trade stood at $6.9 billion in 2013 and rose to $8.2 billion in 2014, averaging approximately $7.3 billion annually between 2015 and 2019.
After falling to $6.8 billion in 2020, trade recovered to $8.6 billion in 2021, surpassed $10 billion in 2022 and reached $10.5 billion in 2023 before easing slightly in 2024.
Türkiye exported $920.3 million worth of goods to South Korea in the first nine months of 2026, led by pharmaceutical products.
Pharmaceutical exports totaled $321.8 million, followed by ores, slag and ash at $124.2 million and boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances at $101.6 million.
Electrical machinery and equipment accounted for another $34.2 million, while exports of vegetable and fruit preparations reached $33 million.
Tourism also remains an important area of cooperation between the two countries.
Türkiye welcomed 226,434 South Korean tourists in 2025, an increase of 9.4% from the previous year.
During the first nine months of 2026, arrivals from South Korea totaled 133,604.
Tourism and cultural exchanges are among the areas expected to feature in discussions during Erdogan's visit.
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