South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (right) shakes hands with Chilean President Gabriel Boric before their bilateral summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Friday. (Yonhap)
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (right) shakes hands with Chilean President Gabriel Boric before their bilateral summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Friday. (Yonhap)

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Friday held a bilateral summit with Chilean President Gabriel Boric on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.

Lee first expressed gratitude for Boric’s visit to Korea, saying Chile’s participation adds significance to the APEC gathering and voicing hope for stronger bilateral cooperation.

Boric responded that although the two countries are geographically distant, “we feel very close to Korea,” noting the growing popularity of Korean culture, from films and literature to K-pop, among Chilean citizens.

The two leaders also agreed that their nations share similar historical experiences in restoring democracy — in 1987 for South Korea and 1988 for Chile — which has served as a foundation for mutual understanding and friendship.

Boric further expressed his willingness to advance the free trade agreement between the two countries, which was signed in 2003 following negotiations that began in 1998 — the first such deal South Korea concluded with a Latin American nation.

This year marks the 63rd anniversary of diplomatic ties between South Korea and Chile in 1962.


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