S. Korean envoy delivers Lee's message for stronger ties to Chile's new president

▲ Rep. Chung Il-young of the Democratic Party meets Chile's new President Jose Antonio Kast during a courtesy call in Santiago, Chile, where Chung was visiting this week to attend Kast's inauguration ceremony as a special presidential envoy, in this photo provided by the foreign ministry on March 12, 2026. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

presidential envoy-Chile

S. Korean envoy delivers Lee's message for stronger ties to Chile's new president

SEOUL, March 12 (Yonhap) -- A special envoy for President Lee Jae Myung has delivered Lee's message expressing hope for stronger bilateral relations with Chile during a courtesy call on the country's new president, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

Rep. Chung Il-young of the ruling Democratic Party visited Chile this week as a special presidential envoy to attend the inauguration ceremony of President Jose Antonio Kast, held from Tuesday through Wednesday.

During the courtesy call on Kast, Chung conveyed Lee's congratulations on his inauguration and delivered a letter from Lee expressing his commitment to further developing the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries, the ministry said.

Kast noted that South Korea has become an important partner for his country since the signing of their bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), according to the ministry.

He also stressed the need for greater interest and support from both governments to expand and diversify trade and investment in a mutually beneficial way, including through improvement of the FTA.

Kast, a far-right leader, became the new leader of the Latin American country following a landslide victory in elections last year. His assumption of office is seen as marking Chile's major shift to the right since the 1990s.

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