Lee calls Korea, Chile ‘ideal partners’ at Santiago business roundtable
In Santiago, President Lee Jae Myung highlighted critical minerals, advanced manufacturing and a new Chilean business delegation to Korea as pillars of broader bilateral cooperation.
President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a business roundtable at a hotel in Santiago, Chile, on July 30.NEWS1
SANTIAGO, Chile —Korea and Chile are "ideal partners for cooperation," President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday at a business roundtable. "The global economy is at a major turning point. Cooperation among countries, including those in Asia and Chile, matters more than ever."
Korea and Chile share a "trusted partnership," Lee said, built on years of cooperation around free trade and the market economy.
"Chile has abundant critical minerals. Korea is a powerhouse in advanced manufacturing. I hope our two countries will build on this deep trust and expand into new areas of cooperation," he said. “Chile ranks among the world's top producers of lithium and copper, while Korea holds world-class competitiveness in advanced manufacturing.”
Lee pointed to a joint venture between LS MnMand Chile's state-owned copper producer Codelco as a model of successful cooperation.
"The two countries already have a successful model of cooperation," he said. “By joining forces, our two countries can create remarkable synergies not only in critical-mineral supply, value addition and supply chains, but also in advanced manufacturing and defense."
Lee also noted the impact of the Korea-Chile free trade agreement.
“Trade between our two countries has more than quadrupled in the two decades since the agreement took effect in 2004,” Lee said. “At the time, the main focus was expanding trade in agricultural and mineral products. Today, the scope of cooperation has broadened considerably, and the two countries are becoming strategic partners preparing for the future together.”
President Lee Jae Myung, center front row, poses for a commemorative photo with business leaders attending a business roundtable at a hotel in Santiago, Chile, on July 30.NEWS1
Chile will send a large public-private economic delegation to Korea in September, Chilean Vice Foreign Minister Patricio Torres announced during the event.
“The delegation will bring together companies, business associations and relevant institutions to explore ways to expand trade, investment, innovation, technological cooperation and collaboration in emerging industries and supply chains,” Torres said. “This demonstrates our firm commitment to sustaining the momentum of cooperation.”
Korean attendees included OCI Holdings Chair Lee Woo-hyun, who heads the Korea-Chile private economic cooperation committee at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Posco Group Chairman Chang In-hwa, LS Group Chairman Koo Ja-eun, Korea Zinc Chairman Choi Yun-birm, LG Electronics President Lyu Jae-cheol, Hanwha Ocean President Jung In-sub, Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon and Hyundai Motor Vice Chair Chang Jae-hoon.
The Chilean delegation was led by Rosario Navarro, president of Chilean industry association Sofofa, and Susana Jiménez Schuster, president of the Confederation of Production and Commerce. Chairs and CEOs from major companies including molybdenum processor Molymet, steelmaker CAP and paper and pulp producer CMPC also attended.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
