01.11.2026 14:30
President Erdoğan will visit Seoul on November 1-4 at the invitation of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. During the talks, the strategic partnership between the two countries and cooperation in the fields of defense industry, energy, trade, and technology will be discussed. As various agreements are expected to be signed within the scope of the visit, the goal is to increase the Turkey-South Korea trade volume, which reached 11.4 billion dollars last year, to 15 billion dollars.
According to a statement by Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will visit Seoul on November 1-4 in response to the invitation of President Lee Jae Myung of the Republic of Korea.
Within the framework of the visit, at the official talks to be held on Tuesday, November 3, the Strategic Partnership relations between the two countries will be addressed in all their aspects. During the talks, views will also be exchanged on current regional and global issues.
On the occasion of the visit, it is planned to sign various documents that will strengthen the legal basis of bilateral relations.
TURKEY AND SOUTH KOREA FOCUS ON NEW ECONOMIC COOPERATIONS
The trade volume between Turkey and South Korea, which are focused on developing cooperation in many areas such as trade and tourism, reached 11.4 billion dollars last year and 8.7 billion dollars in the first 9 months of this year.
According to information compiled by the AA correspondent, within the scope of Turkey's 'Far Countries Strategy', it is aimed to develop cooperation with South Korea in many areas, from trade to tourism and from investment to the defense industry.
During the talks to be held within the scope of the visit in question, bilateral relations are expected to be addressed in all their aspects.
At the talks, it is envisaged that steps to develop cooperation in the fields of energy, defense industry, transportation, infrastructure, high technology, culture and tourism will be put on the table.
TRADE VOLUME BETWEEN TURKEY AND SOUTH KOREA IS INCREASING
Within the scope of the free trade agreement (FTA) between Turkey and South Korea, the framework and goods trade agreements on the gradual liberalization of trade in goods entered into force on May 1, 2013, and the services trade and investment agreements as of August 1, 2018.
While the Turkey-South Korea trade volume was around 6.9 billion dollars in 2013, it rose to 8.2 billion dollars in 2014. The trade volume in question was recorded at an annual average of approximately 7.3 billion dollars in the 2015-2019 period.
The trade volume between the two countries followed a stable course in the 2020-2023 period as well. In this context, the trade volume, which was 6.8 billion dollars in 2020, rose to 8.6 billion dollars in 2021, 10.1 billion dollars in 2022, and 10.5 billion dollars in 2023.
While the trade volume between the two countries was recorded as 10.2 billion dollars in 2024, it rose to 11.4 billion dollars in 2025.
In the first 9 months of this year, the trade volume in question was 8.7 billion dollars.
TRADE VOLUME TARGET IS 15 BILLION DOLLARS
While it is aimed to further develop economic relations between Turkey and South Korea, the goal is to increase the trade volume between the two countries to 15 billion dollars.
The talks to be held within the scope of President Erdoğan's visit are expected to contribute to the evaluation of new cooperation opportunities in line with this goal.
PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS STOOD OUT IN EXPORTS IN THE FIRST 9 MONTHS OF THE YEAR
While Turkey's exports to South Korea in the first 9 months of the year reached 920.3 million dollars, pharmaceutical products stood out among export items.
Turkey's exports in this field were recorded as 321.8 million dollars.
Pharmaceutical products were followed by 'ores, slag and ash' with 124.2 million dollars, 'boilers, machinery, mechanical devices and tools' with 101.6 million dollars, 'electrical machinery and devices' with 34.2 million dollars, and 'preparations of vegetables and fruit' with 33 million dollars.
MORE THAN 133 THOUSAND SOUTH KOREAN TOURISTS CAME IN THE FIRST 9 MONTHS OF THE YEAR
Tourism also constitutes one of the important areas of cooperation between Turkey and South Korea.
The number of tourists coming to Turkey from South Korea in 2025 was calculated as 226,434, an increase of 9.4 percent compared to the previous year.
In the January-September period of this year, the number of tourists coming to Turkey from South Korea was recorded as 133,604.