▲ President Lee Jae Myung (L) and Romanian President Nicusor Dan shake hands during their talks in Ankara, Turkey, on July 8, 2026. (Yonhap)

S Korea-Romania-talks

Lee says S. Korea hopes to expand cooperation with Romania beyond defense sector

By Park Boram

ANKARA, July 8 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung held a summit with Romanian President Nicusor Dan on Wednesday and said Seoul seeks to expand bilateral cooperation beyond the defense industry.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Ankara, where Lee attended as the leader of one of the alliance's partner countries.

Lee described Romania as "an important partner of cooperation" for South Korea, saying the two countries have seen growing cooperation in trade and the defense industry.

"We are placing emphasis on the fact that substantive cooperation is taking place in the defense industry (between the countries), with joint development and production and expansion into third country (markets)," the South Korean president said.

Lee said Seoul seeks to expand such cooperation beyond the defense industry into other sectors, including nuclear power, and also invited Dan to visit South Korea.

Dan highlighted a Romanian defense project involving South Korea's Hanwha Group, as well as nuclear power plant refurbishment projects in Romania involving South Korean companies.

He said the two countries would have new opportunities to expand economic cooperation and invited Lee to visit Romania.

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