Polish President Andrzej Duda and his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday signed three agreements relating to economic, military and industrial cooperation
Duda said that the two countries have been cooperating ever since Poland regained its independence in 1989 and that trade between them has been growing exponentially. He also said that thousands of Poles work in Korean companies with production plants in Poland.
Poland’s head of state further pointed to the rapid intensification of security cooperation with Korea over the last two years. The cooperation is especially intensive in the field of armaments, with Poland purchasing Korean FA-50 planes, K2 tanks and K9 howitzers.
Duda emphasized that “Poland was counting on the arms eventually being produced in Poland.”
In terms of industrial cooperation, an important new opportunity lay in the shape of Poland’s Central Communication Airport (CPK) project, but there was also talk about Polish ports and railway network as possible areas for developing joint projects. Duda praised Korea for announcing an increase in the number of flights from Poland to Korean cities but hoped that there would be more openness on the Korean market to Polish food products.
Poland’s president called the perspectives for economic cooperation between the two countries “superb.” As evidence, he cited 2022 figures showing that trade turnover between the two countries exceeded $10 billion.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stated that bilateral trade was at an all-time high and that Poland has become Korea’s most important investment partner. He added that the agreements signed during his visit would ensure that this investment flow continued.
Korea’s head of state also said that the areas of cooperation between the two countries had now been extended to cover nuclear energy, infrastructure and the arms industry. The cooperation between Poland and South Korea regarding building a nuclear power plant would also “help Poland with its energy security and help it achieve climate neutrality,” he said.
Both presidents agreed that their countries were ideal partners to participate in the reconstruction of Ukraine and that their close cooperation in the defense industries would continue.
