Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung pose for photographs before their meeting at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, January 19, 2026. Yonhap via REUTERS
SEOUL, Jan 19 (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni agreed on Monday to expand cooperation in sectors such as artificial intelligence, aerospace, chips and critical minerals, according to the Blue House.
Meloni is visiting South Korea for summit talks with Lee.
South Korea is a global leader in semiconductors and the countries signed a memorandum of understanding for chip industry cooperation, including those related to AI, Seoul's presidential Blue House said in a statement.
The two leaders also agreed to intensify joint efforts to develop resilient and reliable critical mineral supply chains, the statement said.
Meloni and Lee also discussed collaboration in joint research projects and exchanges, tourism and culture cooperation, and reaffirmed their commitment to the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.
Italy is one of South Korea's four largest trading partners in the European Union, the Blue House said.
Meloni, who is on an Asian tour also taking in Japan and Oman, is on the first state visit by an Italian leader to South Korea in 19 years, it said.
The Italian Prime Minister renewed expectations that Lee may pay a state visit to Italy this year.
(Reporting by Kyu-seok Shim, Joyce LeeEditing by Ed Davies)
