President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said ahead of his Seoul visit, to be made at the invitation of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, that strengthening political dialogue and giving momentum to economic relations would be the priority. He pointed to significant opportunities in the defense industry, nuclear energy, high technology, artificial intelligence and renewable energy.
Erdoğan said Türkiye wants to turn those opportunities into concrete projects, facilitate business activity and increase mutual investment. He added that making trade more balanced, expanding investment and working more closely in manufacturing were also important objectives. Referring to South Korea’s experience in nuclear energy, he said talks on the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant Project were being treated as important.
Following the memorandum of understanding signed last year, significant work has been carried out with KEPCO as part of a preliminary feasibility process, Erdoğan said. Assessments of the project’s technical and economic conditions and its investment model are continuing. He said the cost of electricity generation, the financing of the investment and the project’s contribution to Türkiye’s economy would be decisive in the final decision. Contacts with other countries are also being considered in line with Türkiye’s interests, he added.
Addressing bilateral trade, Erdoğan said Türkiye’s exports to Korea stood at about $1.14 billion in 2025, while imports reached $10.26 billion. He cited Hyundai’s established automotive production in Türkiye, POSCO’s investments in the steel sector and Hyundai’s start of electric vehicle production at its Izmit facilities as tangible examples of the partnership. He called for stronger cooperation in areas including electronics, semiconductor technologies, robotics, biotechnology and renewable energy.
Erdoğan also welcomed the strong interest from South Korea in the PD170 engine developed by TEI under TUSAŞ. He said serious security problems in the Strait of Hormuz and restrictions on vessel traffic directly affect global energy markets and international trade. Türkiye, he said, is supporting its strategic position between Asia and Europe with transport and logistics infrastructure, and could develop joint investments with South Korean companies in rail infrastructure, logistics centers and intelligent transport systems.
