Lee says ties with S. America entering 'new phase,' seeks cooperation in resources, trade

Korea's relationship with South America is entering a "new phase," President Lee Jae Myung said in a recent interview published Saturday, adding his country seeks to advance negotiations for a trade agreement with the region's trading bloc and cooperation on critical minerals.

The Korean president made the remarks in an interview with EFE, a Spanish international news agency, as he was set to arrive in Brazil on Sunday as part of a visit to three South American countries, including Chile and Argentina, for summit talks.

Ahead of the trip, Lee paid a two-day visit to San Francisco to promote AI business cooperation between Korea and the United States.

"Mercosur countries are global leaders in agriculture, food production, energy and critical minerals.

Korea is a global leader in advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, shipbuilding, batteries and innovation," Lee said in the written interview.

Mercosur is a South American economic and political bloc founded in 1991 by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Its membership currently includes Bolivia.

"By bringing these strengths toget ...