Ankara:Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung engaged in discussions on Tuesday to explore avenues for enhancing bilateral cooperation, focusing particularly on the defense industry, trade, and energy sectors.

According to Qatar News Agency, during a joint news conference, Erdogan articulated their discussions on expanding cooperation across different areas. He emphasized Turkiye's goal of increasing bilateral trade from $11 billion to $15 billion in a balanced and sustainable way. Erdogan identified the defense industry as a crucial component of the strategic partnership between the two nations, underscoring the significance of advancing successful joint projects.

Erdogan also pointed out the shared positions of Turkiye and South Korea on various international issues and reiterated his country's support for a dialogue-based approach to achieve lasting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced an agreement with Turkiye to deepen cooperation in the defense sector. He mentioned the signing of a memorandum of understanding for collaboration on financing nuclear power plant projects. Lee highlighted the importance of bilateral relations and South Korea's commitment to strengthening its partnership with Turkiye across several economic and strategic domains.