Ahead of Argentina Visit, President Lee Says "Much to Do Together...Looking Forward to Shared Prosperity"

"In Response to an Argentine Presidential Account: 'Korea Represents Freedom, Progress, and the Future'"

Official Visit to Argentina Begins on the 30th... First Bilateral Presidential Trip in 22 Years

President Lee Jae-myung, who is currently visiting San Francisco, USA, stated on the 25th (local time) to Argentine President Javier Milei, "There is much that Korea and Argentina must do together," adding, "I hope that our two countries will join hands and move toward a new future of shared prosperity."

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Silicon Valley Venture Investment Meetup held at a hotel in San Francisco, USA, on the 25th (local time). 2026.7.26 Yonhap News Agency

On this day, President Lee posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "I sincerely appreciate your interest in the Republic of Korea," and conveyed these remarks. He continued, "I am very much looking forward to meeting you, Mr. President." President Lee tagged President Milei and also quoted a video that references the economic gap between North and South Korea.

However, in the post, President Lee did not specifically mention the comparison of the North and South Korean systems or criticism of North Korea contained in the video, but instead emphasized the potential for cooperation and shared prosperity between the two countries. Rather than offering an ideological assessment, this can be interpreted as highlighting a strong commitment to practical cooperation in economic and trade matters ahead of the summit meeting.

President Lee is currently on an overseas tour, visiting San Francisco, followed by Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. From July 30 to August 1, he is scheduled to make an official visit to Argentina and hold a summit with President Milei. This will be the first bilateral visit by a Korean president to Argentina in 22 years, following former President Roh Moo-hyun's visit in 2004.

It is expected that the two leaders will discuss ways to expand trade and investment and enhance supply chain cooperation during their summit. In particular, the resumption of negotiations on the Korea-Mercosur Trade Agreement and collaboration in energy and food sectors, such as shale gas and agricultural products, in which both Korea and Argentina are participating, are highlighted as major agenda items.

The Blue House's policy is to use this South American tour to develop new markets and expand trade and investment with major South American economies, including Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. Argentina is evaluated as a country with significant potential for cooperation with Korea in the fields of resource, energy, and food security, being the world's second-largest holder of shale gas reserves and the top exporter of soybean oil.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.