South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has highlighted Türkiye's growing strategic importance on the global stage, underlining expanding cooperation between Seoul and Ankara, particularly in the defence industry.
Cho, in an interview with Anadolu on Friday, said the two countries are steadily strengthening their international standing in areas where they possess strong defence capabilities, noting that cooperation continues through several joint projects, "especially the Altay main battle tank project".
Expressing optimism about future collaboration, Cho said the partnership would not only enhance the defence industry capacities of both countries but also contribute significantly to reinforcing regional and global peace and security.
'Remarkable progress' in Türkiye's defence sector
Recalling recent talks between the South Korean and Turkish leaders, Cho said both sides reaffirmed their determination to advance towards a stronger global position in the defence industry.
He added that they agreed to deepen cooperation in joint production, technological collaboration and education exchange programmes, based on mutual trust.
"We closely follow Türkiye's long-standing and determined efforts to strengthen its defence industry," Cho said, pointing to Türkiye surpassing $10 billion in defence exports for the first time last year and successfully hosting IDEF, its largest-ever defence industry fair, as "concrete indicators of remarkable progress".
Cho also outlined South Korea's pragmatic foreign policy approach, stressing that Seoul does not pursue a simple balancing act amid US-China competition but instead evaluates national interests from a holistic and multidimensional perspective.
While seeking new growth opportunities through cooperation with China on an equal footing, Cho said South Korea also aims to enhance industrial competitiveness by strengthening collaboration with the United States in advanced technology sectors.
'Deep trust and friendship' with Türkiye
Cho underlined that Türkiye holds a special place in South Korea's history, recalling that Ankara sent nearly 20,000 soldiers during the Korean War to defend South Korea's freedom and democracy.
He said this shared legacy continues to form "the foundation of deep trust and friendship" between the two nations.
He noted that bilateral cooperation, built on this historical bond, has expanded steadily across political, economic and cultural fields.
Cho described President Lee Jae-myung's official visit to Türkiye last year — the first in 13 years — as a pivotal moment that reaffirmed both countries' commitment to advancing their strategic partnership and increasing high-level dialogue.
Trade, regional diplomacy and mediation efforts
Cho said trade relations have also strengthened, with bilateral trade reaching a record $10.4 billion in 2023 under the South Korea-Türkiye Free Trade Agreement, which entered into force in 2013.
He added that both sides now aim to expand cooperation into future-oriented sectors, including defence, nuclear energy, biotechnology, renewable energy and artificial intelligence.
On regional issues, Cho said South Korea continues efforts to reopen dialogue channels with North Korea despite prolonged disruptions, stressing that a long-term approach is essential to reducing tensions and rebuilding trust on the Korean Peninsula.
He noted that Seoul values cooperation with countries such as Türkiye that support peace and coexistence.
Cho also welcomed the ceasefire in Gaza and expressed appreciation for Türkiye's mediation efforts, reiterating South Korea's support for a two-state solution and continued humanitarian assistance.
He added that Seoul maintains its position that Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected.
Türkiye as a strategic hub
Describing Türkiye as a strategic crossroads connecting Europe and the Middle East, Cho said Ankara's role is becoming increasingly important in diversifying global supply chains and establishing regional production hubs.
He noted that more than 200 Korean companies have already invested in Türkiye and pledged continued policy support to expand economic cooperation.
Looking ahead to the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027, Cho said South Korea aims to further deepen people-to-people ties through youth exchanges, tourism and cultural cooperation.
