President Lee to Hold Summit with Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta on Nov. 6; First Official Visit to South Korea Since Ties Established

President Horta to Visit South Korea Nov. 5-7
Discuss Cooperation on Diplomacy, Security and Climate Change
Expand Cooperation Following Timor-Leste's ASEAN Accession

President Lee Jae Myung will hold a summit with Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta on Nov. 6 to discuss ways to expand practical cooperation between the two countries in areas including diplomacy and security, climate change, and education. It will be the first official bilateral visit to South Korea by a Timor-Leste leader since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 2002.

President Lee Jae-myung speaks with a merchant during a visit to Yeongyang Traditional Market in North Gyeongsang Province on Oct. 31, 2026. Yonhap News Agency

Kang Yu-jeong, chief presidential spokesperson, said in a written briefing on Nov. 1 that President Horta would make an official visit to South Korea from Nov. 5 to 7 at President Lee's invitation.

The two leaders are scheduled to begin with a summit on the morning of Nov. 6, followed by a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony, an official luncheon, and a joint press statement. At the summit, they will discuss a broad range of issues, including ways to expand cooperation in diplomacy and security, intellectual property, climate change, education, and people-to-people exchanges, as well as regional developments and major international issues.

President Horta received the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to Timor-Leste's independence and the establishment of peace. He has also developed a special relationship with South Korea, publicly praising the Korean people's efforts to defend democracy.

Timor-Leste, which gained independence in 2002, has maintained a long-standing cooperative relationship with South Korea. South Korea previously deployed the Sangnoksu Unit to United Nations peacekeeping operations (PKO) and supported Timor-Leste's efforts to establish peace and advance democracy through assistance with election management and development cooperation. The two countries have also worked closely together in multilateral diplomacy, including elections for international organizations.

In particular, Timor-Leste's accession in October 2025 as the 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is seen as having increased the diplomatic significance of cooperation between the two countries. The government is expected to use the summit to explore ways to broaden the scope of Korea-ASEAN cooperation, beyond its bilateral ties with Timor-Leste.

"We expect President Horta's visit to South Korea to provide an important opportunity to further expand and deepen practical cooperation, building on the trust and friendship the two countries have cultivated over many years, ahead of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year," Kang said.

She added that it would be "a meaningful opportunity to contribute to Timor-Leste's sustainable development and peace and prosperity in the region, and to further expand South Korea's role as a globally responsible country."

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