President Lee Arrives in Brazil, Inspects 'C-390' Military Transport Aircraft as First Official Event: "The Beginning of Defense Cooperation"

Inspection of USD 883 Million C-390 Project Immediately After Arrival
President Lee Proposes, "Let's Try Building Civilian Aircraft Together"
Fifth Meeting with President Lula Since Inauguration
Concrete Cooperation on Defense, Rare Earth E

After completing his visit to San Francisco, United States, President Lee Jae-myung arrived in Brasília, the capital of Brazil, on the 26th (local time), officially launching summit diplomacy with three South American countries—Brazil, Chile, and Argentina—to diversify core mineral, energy, and food supply chains. His first order of business was to inspect the Brazilian C-390 military transport aircraft set to be introduced in Korea.

President Lee Jae-myung, who is on a state visit to Brazil, inspected the C-390 transport aircraft purchased from Brazil's Embraer at the Brasilia Air Force Base on the 26th (local time). He then took a commemorative photo with Air Force pilots and maintenance personnel who are receiving training locally. July 27, 2026 Yonhap News Agency Photo by Yonhap News

President Lee and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung arrived at the Brasília Air Force Base at around 1:00 p.m. on the 26th (local time). Waving from outside the door of Air Force One, the presidential couple descended arm-in-arm down the steps and were received by an honor guard lined up on either side of the red carpet. President Lee shook hands in turn with protocol chief Thiago Fozil of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, Brazilian Ambassador to South Korea Fernando Pimentel, and other welcoming representatives from both countries, before heading directly to the C-390 military transport aircraft set up alongside Air Force One.

The C-390, developed by Brazil's Embraer, is the model selected for the Republic of Korea Air Force’s second large transport aircraft procurement project. The Korean government will invest 883 billion won between 2022 and 2028 to introduce three large transport planes in order to enhance airlift and peacekeeping capabilities. Each aircraft is valued at 156 million dollars, approximately 234 billion won. The C-390 displayed on this day is the first among the three aircraft to be delivered to Korea and also marks the first C-390 Embraer has sent to Asia. The model selection and contract were completed in December 2023, with the first unit scheduled for delivery this December and the remaining two slated for delivery sequentially by the end of next year.

Having received a briefing at the rear of the aircraft, President Lee examined the cockpit and interior facilities and checked the cargo capacity, flight time, and aerial refueling features in detail. The Brazilian side explained that the aircraft can carry up to 26 tons of cargo and can be used not only for transport and aerial refueling, but also for firefighting and humanitarian missions. When the Brazilian delegation suggested that the C-390 project could serve as a stepping stone to expand industrial cooperation into the civilian aviation sector as well as defense, President Lee proposed, "Let's try developing civilian aircraft together as soon as possible." The Brazilian side responded, "That is exactly our goal," and called the project "a major stepping stone for industrial cooperation between Brazil and the Republic of Korea." President Lee added, "This marks the first step in our defense cooperation with Brazil, which is very meaningful. Let's seek even greater collaboration in the future."

President Lee Jae-myung, who paid a state visit to Brazil, inspects the C-390 transport aircraft purchased from Brazil's Embraer for our Air Force at the Brasilia Air Force Base on the 26th (local time). 2026.7.27 Yonhap News Agency

The C-390 project is being implemented not just as a purchase of finished products but as a mutually beneficial defense cooperation model involving the participation of Korean companies in the global aviation supply chain. During model selection, it was noted that Embraer's C-390 had similar performance to Lockheed Martin's C-130J but at a lower price, with favorable offset trade conditions. Korean SMEs form a consortium to participate in major component production, including the rear fuselage, as well as aircraft maintenance business. The offset trade scale is approximately 135 million dollars. On this day, the Brazilian side introduced Korean companies such as Kencoa Aerospace and ASTK, currently taking part in Embraer's global supply chain. After the inspection, President Lee and officials from both countries took a commemorative photo, chanting "Republic of Korea Fighting, Brazil Fighting."

Following this, President Lee will carry out a state visit to Brazil through July 29 at the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. This is the fifth meeting between President Lee and President Lula since Lee's inauguration. Along with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, President Lula is the leader whom President Lee has met most frequently since taking office, with their rapport building on the common ground of having been young factory workers, beginning last June at the G7 summit in Canada. At last month's G7 in Évian, France, the two leaders sat down for a separate 20-minute conversation ahead of the main summit meeting.

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, who made a state visit to Brazil, are receiving a salute as they disembark from Air Force One at the Brasilia Air Force Base on the 26th (local time). 2026.7.27 Yonhap News Agency

The Korea-Brazil summit is expected to focus intensively on expanding cooperation in defense, aviation, and key minerals such as rare earth elements, as well as agriculture, food security, and the space sector. Resuming negotiations on a Korea-Mercosur free trade agreement will also be a key agenda item. Brazil is regarded as highly strategic for Korea’s efforts to diversify core mineral supply chains, being second only to China in rare earth reserves globally. President Lee is also scheduled to travel to São Paulo to host a luncheon with Korean residents and preside over the Korea-Brazil business roundtable.

From the 29th for two days, President Lee will make an official visit to Chile and hold a summit meeting with Chilean President José Antonio Kast, who leads the new government inaugurated this year. The schedule includes a dinner with Korean residents and a wreath-laying ceremony at the statue of Chilean independence hero Bernardo O'Higgins, as well as attending the Korea-Chile business roundtable. From July 30 to August 1, President Lee will pay the first official visit by a Korean president to Argentina in 22 years, where he will meet President Javier Milei, lay a wreath at Plaza San Martín in honor of Argentina’s independence hero, and attend various events including a dinner with Korean residents.

National Security Office Chief Wi Sung-lac explained in a pre-visit briefing, "We expect to expand trade and investment as well as market opportunities with Brazil, Chile, and Argentina, the core economic powers of South America," adding, "This is meaningful in that it expands the horizons of Korean diplomacy to the global South."

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