Lee Jae-myung and Meloni Hold Summit to Strengthen Cooperation in AI and Defense Industries

President Lee Jae-myung and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni held a summit at Cheongwadae on the 19th, agreeing to elevate bilateral relations to a forward-looking level that matches the status of “strategic partners.” Prime Minister Meloni is the first European leader to visit South Korea since Lee Jae-myung’s administration took office, marking the first Italian prime minister’s visit in 19 years.

The two leaders decided to strengthen cooperation in advanced industries such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), and aerospace. President Lee stated, “By supporting joint research in basic and applied fields, we will continue to identify talented researchers and further expand cooperation horizons in advanced industries like AI and aerospace.” Building on this summit, the two countries signed three memorandums of understanding regarding semiconductor industry collaboration, enhanced disaster management capabilities, and improved efforts to protect cultural heritage.

They also reaffirmed their shared stance on security. Both leaders reiterated their commitment to achieving complete denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula as well as lasting peace and stability, and they once again confirmed their cooperation to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Interestingly, Prime Minister Meloni expressed interest in K-pop during her meeting with President Lee. She said, “South Korea is a very strong country not only in trade but also in soft power. My daughter is also a K-pop fan. We can explore ways to enhance cooperation in that area as well.” In fact, her daughter, who accompanied Prime Minister Meloni on the visit, drew attention when she arrived at Seoul Airport on the 17th holding a Lightstick of the girl group BLACKPINK.

After the summit, President Lee gifted Prime Minister Meloni a pink Samsung Electronics “Galaxy Z Flip 7” smartphone, reportedly her favorite color. The two leaders also agreed to cooperate during the winter Olympics and Paralympics to be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, this year, with President Lee planning to visit Italy in the near future.