President Lee Jae-myung will discuss cooperation in trade, defense industry, and supply chains with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during their summit meeting.
According to the Presidential Office on the 22nd, President Lula arrived in Korea for a three-day state visit at President Lee's invitation. He is the first foreign leader to be received as a state guest since President Lee returned to the Presidential Office in December last year. This marks President Lula's first state visit to Korea in 21 years, since 2005 during his first term.
The two leaders are scheduled to hold a summit, sign memoranda of understanding, and attend a state dinner on the 23rd. The talks will cover practical cooperation measures in trade and investment, climate, energy, space, defense industry, science and technology, and agriculture. Supply chain cooperation is also expected to be discussed, given Brazil's status as a resource-rich nation with rare earth elements.
President Lee previously met with President Lula at the G7 summit in Canada in June last year, shortly after his inauguration. At that meeting, President Lee shared his experience of injuring his arm as a young factory worker, finding common ground with President Lula, who also worked as a child laborer.
Meanwhile, Brazilian First Lady Rosângela da Silva arrived separately on the 21st and met with First Lady Kim Hye-kyung. It is unusual for a foreign first lady to enter the country separately from the president. A Presidential Office official explained, "Mrs. da Silva has strong affection for Korea and wanted to have time for personal exchange first."
The two first ladies strengthened their friendship by selecting domestic hanbok fabrics at Gwangjang Market in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and having matching rings and traditional hairpins made in the same design. They then visited the National Folk Museum of Korea in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, to view the exhibition "Brazil Rio Carnival: Soul of Africa, Rhythm of Samba."