President inspects Korea-bound C-390, calls for broader defense cooperation with Brazil
President Lee Jae Myung cast Latin America as essential to South Korea’s push to broaden its diplomatic reach and diversify supply chains amid a rapid reshaping of the global order, as he opened his first tour of the region.
Speaking from Brasilia, the first stop on an itinerary that will also take him to Chile and Argentina, Lee underscored the continent’s strategic importance to South Korea while presiding over a virtual meeting with senior secretaries and aides on Sunday.
“At a time when the international order is being rapidly reshaped, efforts to diversify our diplomatic networks and engage with countries on multiple levels are essential to the nation’s stable development,” Lee said in his opening remarks.
“Latin America, with its vast population and abundant resources, is one of the most important regions for further broadening our diplomatic horizons.”
Lee added, “Through this tour of Latin America, we will strengthen our diplomacy with the Global South and more firmly establish our standing and role as a key global player.”
A summit with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is the centerpiece of Lee’s four-day state visit, marking the leaders’ fifth meeting overall and their second formal bilateral summit.
The two leaders previously held bilateral talks during Lula’s state visit to South Korea in February. They also met at three multilateral gatherings: the Group of Seven summit in Canada in June 2025, the Group of 20 summit in South Africa in November 2025 and the G7 summit in France in June 2026.
In an interview with Brazilian newspaper O Globo, Lee further underscored the importance of the partnership between South Korea and Brazil in strengthening the multilateral cooperation system, including the World Trade Organization, and contributing to a more open, stable and predictable global trading order.
“The more uncertain the international order becomes, the more closely our countries must cooperate to protect multilateralism, free trade and international rules,” Lee said. “I hope this visit will serve as an important opportunity for our two countries to expand that role together.”
Against that backdrop, Lee also stressed the importance of advancing the Korea-Mercosur trade agreement with Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, which has been stalled since 2021. Lee and Lula discussed ways to resume talks on a Korea-Mercosur trade pact during their February summit.
Expressing optimism about resuming and concluding the negotiations, Lee said that achieving “a mutually beneficial and balanced outcome” was more important than setting a specific deadline.
Lee called the trade pact “an important milestone demonstrating the shared commitment of Korea and Mercosur to defending a free and open trading order” amid growing global uncertainty, more than merely a form of economic cooperation.
Upon arriving in Brazil's capital, Lee inspected a C-390 military transport aircraft at an air base in Brasilia after his welcoming ceremony, instead of immediately leaving in his motorcade as presidents typically do during overseas trips.
South Korea selected Embraer’s C-390 in December 2023 under an offset arrangement involving a consortium of South Korean small and medium-sized companies in the production of key components, including the rear fuselage.
Lee reviewed 13 South Korean Air Force personnel undergoing aircraft delivery training in Brazil. While inspecting the aircraft, Lee told Brazilian officials, “Let’s build civilian aircraft together in the future if possible.”
“This is significant because it marks the beginning of our defense cooperation with Brazil,” he said. “Let’s expand our cooperation going forward.”
The aircraft inspected by Lee is the first of three C-390s ordered by South Korea. It is scheduled for delivery in December, with the other two due by the end of 2027.
The acquisition marks the first time the South Korean Air Force, which operates 16 C-130-series transport aircraft, including Lockheed Martin’s C-130J, has purchased a Brazilian military aircraft.
Economic and supply chain cooperation will be high on the agenda throughout Lee’s three-nation tour.
Brazil, Chile and Argentina together constitute a vast market of 280 million people, which would rank fourth globally, and have a combined GDP of $3.7 trillion, equivalent to the world’s seventh-largest economy, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
In summit talks with Brazil and Argentina, the two leading members of South American trade bloc Mercosur, Lee plans to continue discussions on resuming negotiations on a South Korea-Mercosur trade agreement.
With Chile, South Korea’s first free trade agreement partner, Lee will discuss modernizing the bilateral FTA, Cheong Wa Dae said.
The Korean government expects the talks to sharply expand trade with Brazil, Argentina and Chile while helping South Korean companies increase their presence in Latin American markets.
The three countries are also rich in critical minerals, energy and food resources. Their location on the opposite side of the globe from South Korea makes them attractive supply chain partners for diversifying risks arising from climate change and geopolitical instability.
Brazil holds the world’s second-largest rare-earth reserves and is the largest exporter of coffee, sugar and chicken. Chile has the world’s largest copper and lithium reserves, while Argentina holds the second-largest shale gas reserves and is the largest exporter of soybean oil.
While departing San Francisco for Brazil, Lee wrote on X on Saturday local time, “We are heading to Latin America, a continent of passion and abundance.”
“Brazil, Chile and Argentina are key countries that have led Latin America’s politics, economy and culture,” Lee said. “This tour will be a meaningful journey to broaden the horizons of Korea’s pragmatic diplomacy to Latin America and further strengthen economic cooperation that will lay the foundation for future growth.”
dagyumji@heraldcorp.com
