South Korean President Lee Jae Myung launches South America trade push with Mercosur
President Lee Jae Myung began a three‑nation South American tour in late July 2026, arriving in Brasilia for a summit with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and a business roundtable in São Paulo. The itinerary continues to Chile, where Lee will meet President José Antonio Kast on 30 July, and then to Argentina for talks with President Javier Milei on 31 July.
Lee emphasized that resuming negotiations for a free‑trade agreement with Mercosur is a top priority, arguing that the bloc’s abundant critical minerals and energy resources can be paired with South Korea’s advanced digital, naval and battery technologies. He said the partnership aims to create resilient supply chains for AI, energy and other strategic sectors and to generate high‑skill jobs across the regions.
The South Korean leader also referenced recent meetings with executives from OpenAI, Nvidia and Anthropic, framing the Mercosur outreach as part of a broader strategy to position Seoul as a global hub for artificial‑intelligence innovation.
Entities: Javier Milei · José Antonio Kast · Lee Jae Myung · Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva · Mercosur
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Lee held a business roundtable in São Paulo with South Korean and Brazilian executives. (Lee arrives in Brazil for summit with Lula – The Korea Times; Lee begins Brazil state visit – Yonhap)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Lee previously met executives from OpenAI, Nvidia and Anthropic as part of his AI‑hub strategy. (Corea del Sur apunta a acuerdos comerciales con el Mercosur; Corea impulsa alianza estratégica con Mercosur – El Nuevo …)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Lee aims to build resilient supply chains for critical minerals, energy and AI through Mercosur partnership. (Corea del Sur apunta a acuerdos comerciales con el Mercosur; Corea impulsa alianza estratégica con Mercosur – El Nuevo …)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Lee Jae Myung began a three‑nation South America tour in late July 2026. (Lee arrives in Brazil for summit with Lula, business roundtable – The Korea Times (a5fa7f43); Lee begins Brazil state …)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Lee will meet Chilean President José Antonio Kast in Chile on 30 July 2026. (Lee arrives in Brazil for summit with Lula – The Korea Times; Lee begins Brazil state visit – Yonhap; Corea del Sur… (52)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Lee will meet Argentine President Javier Milei in Buenos Aires on 31 July 2026. (Lee arrives in Brazil for summit with Lula – The Korea Times; Lee begins Brazil state visit – Yonhap; Corea del Sur… (52)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Lee met Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brasilia on 26‑27 July 2026. (Lee arrives in Brazil for summit with Lula – The Korea Times; Lee begins Brazil state visit, set for Lula summit – Yonhy)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Lee said resuming negotiations for a free‑trade agreement with Mercosur is a priority. (Corea impulsa alianza estratégica con Mercosur – El Nuevo Diario; Lee arrives in Brazil…)