South Korea, Italy ready to elevate ties to 'special strategic partnership'

President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday (local time) that South Korea and Italy are preparing to elevate their relationship to a "special strategic partnership" during his state visit to Italy, the second stop on his European tour.

In an interview with Italian daily Corriere della Sera, Lee said he hopes the state visit will "elevate the strategic partnership between the two countries to the next level and lay the groundwork for shared prosperity for future generations."

By upgrading ties with Italy — a core member of both the G7 and the EU — South Korea aims to signal its commitment to strengthening relations with Europe across the continent.

Asked which areas offer the greatest opportunities for strategic cooperation, Lee said: "Just as South Korea and Italy wrote a shared history of success in manufacturing in the 20th century, I am confident we can together create a new history of industrial innovation in the 21st century age of AI."

He also outlined how Italy could contribute to advancing South Korea-Europe relations, noting that the two countries have agreed to cooperate on global challenges including climate change, energy security and development cooperation.

"Based on the values shared by South Korea, Italy and Europe, we are cooperating as responsible members of the international community," Lee said. He added that the visit will include the signing of a South Korea-Italy development cooperation memorandum of understanding, grounded in a shared recognition of Africa's development needs.

On cooperation in future industries — AI, quantum technology, space and energy transition — Lee said the two sides plan to adopt the "Strategic Action Plan 2026-2030" during the visit.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni proposed the strategic action plan when she visited South Korea in January. Lee also stressed a pragmatic, national-interest-driven approach to diplomacy, saying South Korea's foreign policy had long been summed up by the formula of "security with the United States, economy with China." "However, I believe this binary approach is no longer valid," he said.

"Rather than simply trying to balance between Washington and Beijing, South Korea seeks to develop a new approach grounded in national interest — one that comprehensively assesses the dynamics of competition and cooperation as well as emerging challenges," Lee said.

Meanwhile, Lee, who is in Europe to attend the G7 summit, met with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever in Brussels on Wednesday and pledged to expand bilateral research cooperation, including in the semiconductor sector.

He also held talks with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, adopting a joint statement from the South Korea-EU summit that strongly condemned Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and North Korea for supporting it.

On Friday, Lee is scheduled to hold summit talks with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, followed by a third official meeting with Prime Minister Meloni on Saturday. Italy extended a special welcome to Lee, scrambling two Eurofighter jets to escort Air Force One as it entered Italian airspace.

A business roundtable set for Friday is also drawing attention. Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyosung Chairman Cho Hyun-joon are among those expected to attend to discuss ways to strengthen industrial cooperation between the two countries.

The event is expected to serve as a platform for business exchanges aimed at creating opportunities in semiconductors, aerospace, energy and biotech.