In brief
During a state visit to Seoul, President Lee Jae‑Myung and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed memoranda covering financial support, joint manufacturing, and technology transfer in nuclear and defense sectors. The agreement reiterates prior arrangements on the Sinop nuclear plant and expands collaboration to include battle tanks and naval vessels, as well as broader security cooperation.
At a summit in Seoul on 3 November 2026, South Korean President Lee Jae‑Myung and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed a series of memoranda of understanding (MOUs) to expand bilateral cooperation in nuclear power generation and defense manufacturing.
The agreements build on earlier MOUs reached over the past year. In 2025, Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) and the Turkiye Nuclear Energy Company inked a separate MOU for a nuclear plant in Sinop, Turkey, and completed a preliminary feasibility study with guidance from the Korean state‑owned construction firm.
On the same day, the two heads of state added a new MOU aimed at providing financial support for Korean businesses pursuing the Sinop project. The accord will allow Korean companies to tap Turkish financial facilities and seek joint investment structures for the plant’s construction and operation.
In defence, the leaders agreed to broaden existing cooperation to joint manufacturing and technology transfer for military equipment, with a particular emphasis on tank and naval vessel production. The cooperation extends to joint inroads into a third market, reportedly the United Arab Emirates, thereby expanding a two‑country supply chain for advanced weaponry.
Both presidents highlighted the shared historical ties that form the backbone of the agreement. Lee recalled that Turkish troops fought alongside South Korean forces during the 1950‑53 Korean War, framing the new partnership as a continuation of that wartime camaraderie.
Lee said the two leaders had decided to “expand the horizon of bilateral cooperation, based on the deep friendship and trust forged in blood.”
Today, President Erdoğan and I agreed to expand the horizon of bilateral cooperation, based on the deep friendship and trust forged in blood.
He added that the synchronization of nuclear and defence initiatives would enhance security for both regions and improve stability along the Korean Peninsula and in the broader international context.
Turkish media reports indicate that the new agreements will strengthen ties around the Altay main tank project, which Turkey is actively pursuing. The president’s comment on 3 November confirmed the project’s significance in the context of the expanded bilateral framework.
In addition to nuclear and defence work, the newly signed MOUs hint at future synergies in emerging bio‑technologies, though specific details remain undefined at this stage.
Industry analysts note that the MOUs will open the door to joint procurement of advanced reactors and defense systems, which could shape the competitive landscape in the region and beyond.
