After 19 years, Seoul and Rome reset ties, deepening cooperation in AI, semiconductors, defence and critical minerals, while aligning security priorities.
South Korea and Italy agreed to deepen cooperation across high-technology sectors, defence industries and critical-mineral supply chains on January 19, 2026. The agreement was reached during talks in Seoul between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
It marked the first visit by an Italian prime minister to South Korea in 19 years and coincided with a summit at Cheong Wa Dae.
Both leaders said the partnership would focus on future-facing industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors and aerospace, alongside closer defence collaboration. They also pledged to expand economic ties to better reflect the scale and technological strengths of both countries.
A joint statement after the summit called for deeper bilateral and multilateral cooperation to tackle global challenges and uphold international peace, with advanced manufacturing and frontier technologies identified as priorities.
The two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding on semiconductor cooperation between their respective industry bodies, aimed at boosting business links, information sharing and supply-chain resilience.
They further agreed to step up cooperation on critical minerals through bilateral channels and initiatives such as the Minerals Security Partnership, chaired by South Korea.
Beyond economic ties, the leaders committed to strengthening strategic dialogue and drafting a new action plan for 2026–30. They reaffirmed support for the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, citing shared democratic values and the growing linkage between European and Indo-Pacific security.
