(2nd LD) Lee, Italian PM Meloni hold summit talks

▲ President Lee Jae Myung (R) shakes hands with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during their summit talks at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Jan. 19, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

▲ President Lee Jae Myung (4th from R) and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (3rd from L) hold summit talks at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Jan. 19, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

(2nd LD) Lee-Italy-summit

(2nd LD) Lee, Italian PM Meloni hold summit talks

(ATTN: UPDATES with latest details, remarks throughout; CHANGES headline, photo)

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Jan. 19 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung held summit talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday and discussed ways to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, investment and cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence.

Lee told Meloni that South Korea and Italy could expand bilateral cooperation in science and technology and advanced industries, including aerospace and the defense sector, as well as in joint efforts to address shared global challenges, such as climate change.

"By combining Italy's traditional strengths as a scientific powerhouse with the core DNA of the Republic of Korea as a technology leader, the two countries can create significant synergy," Lee said in his opening remarks, referring to South Korea by its official name.

"It feels as though there is no limit to the potential of the bilateral relationship," he added.

Lee underscored the importance of expanding cultural and people-to-people exchanges, describing them as a form of soft power rooted in rich cultural influence, and said he plans to make a reciprocal visit to Italy in the future.

He expressed hope that Meloni's visit and his future trip to Italy would further expand "mutually beneficial and future-oriented cooperation," adding that top-level diplomacy should yield "practical outcomes" that benefit the peoples of both nations.

In response, Meloni said that the two countries should identify new areas of cooperation, including critical-mineral supply chains, semiconductors, transportation and infrastructure, among others.

Noting that her daughter is a fan of K-pop, Meloni also expressed hope for expanded cooperation in the cultural sector, including pop music.

Meloni, who was on a three-day official visit, said she visited the Seoul National Cemetery on Sunday to pay tribute to fallen veterans.

The premier said she received an album from South Korea's veterans ministry documenting the activities of Italian medical personnel dispatched to Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War as part of humanitarian assistance.

Meloni, the president of the Council of Ministers of Italy, is the first European leader to visit the nation since Lee took office in June last year. She arrived in Seoul on Saturday for a three-day official visit as part of her Asia trip, which also includes stops in Japan and Oman.

The talks will mark their second summit meeting after they first met on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York in September last year.

Italy is South Korea's fourth-largest trading partner in the European Union and is visited by roughly 1 million South Koreans annually.

In 2024, South Korea and Italy marked the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

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