Presidents of South Korea and Poland hold talks on security, war in Ukraine and business cooperation

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Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, right, welcomes South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, for a two-day visit in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, July 13, 2023. Yoon visits Poland after he attended a NATO summit in neighbouring Lithuania, where he sought to deepen ties with the military alliance amid global and regional security challenges. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

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Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, left, welcomes South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, with military honors for a two-day visit in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, July 13, 2023. Yoon visits Poland after he attended a NATO summit in neighbouring Lithuania, where he sought to deepen ties with the military alliance amid global and regional security challenges. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

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From left, Kim Keon Hee, wife of South Korean President Yoon, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda and Duda’s wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda attend a welcoming ceremony in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, July 13, 2023. Yoon visits Poland after he attended a NATO summit in neighbouring Lithuania, where he sought to deepen ties with the military alliance amid global and regional security challenges. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

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Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, front right, welcomes South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, front left, with military honors for a two-day visit in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, July 13, 2023. Yoon visits Poland after he attended a NATO summit in neighbouring Lithuania, where he sought to deepen ties with the military alliance amid global and regional security challenges. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, second left, and Polish President Andrzej Duda,right, walk past a Poland’s military guard of honour during a welcoming ceremony at the start of two days of talks on global security, war in Ukraine and bilateral economic cooperation, in Warsaw, Poland, on Thursday, July 13, 2023. Yoon visits Poland after he attended a NATO summit in neighbouring Lithuania, where he sought to deepen ties with the military alliance amid global and regional security challenges .(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

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Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, center right, welcomes South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, center left, with military honors for a two-day visit in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, July 13, 2023. Yoon visits Poland after he attended a NATO summit in neighbouring Lithuania, where he sought to deepen ties with the military alliance amid global and regional security challenges. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, and Polish President Andrzej Duda walk past Poland’s military guard of honour during a welcoming ceremony at the start of two days of talks on global security, war in Ukraine and bilateral economic cooperation, in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, July 13, 2023. Yoon visits Poland after he attended a NATO summit in neighbouring Lithuania, where he sought to deepen ties with the military alliance amid global and regional security challenges. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

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On the podium from left, Kim Keon Hee, wife of South Korean President Yoon, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda and Duda’s wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda attend a welcoming ceremony in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, July 13, 2023. Yoon visits Poland after he attended a NATO summit in neighbouring Lithuania, where he sought to deepen ties with the military alliance amid global and regional security challenges. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and First Lady Kim Keon-hee arrive at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, on Thursday, July 13, 2023. Yoon is in Poland for talks on security, the war in Ukraine and defense cooperation. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

By MONIKA SCISLOWSKA

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The presidents of South Korea and Poland on Thursday pledged to strengthen their security, business and trade relations.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his delegation met with his Polish host, President Andrzej Duda and government members at the Presidential Palace.

“With President Duda, we discussed in depth the development of the strategic relations between the two countries,” Yoon said after the talks.

“We will support efforts for increasing investment and trade,” Yoon said, noting that bilateral trade turnover in 2022 was some $9 million, the highest in the 34-year-long relations. That makes Poland the biggest recipient of South Korea’s investment last year, partly from Poland’s purchases of South Korea’s military equipment.

The two presidents watched as government ministers from both countries signed agreements on developing cooperation in infrastructure and modern technologies, as well as on cooperation in the future rebuilding of Ukraine, Poland’s neighbour, which is fighting Russia’s military invasion.

Duda said Poland is seeking cooperation with South Korean companies in producing military equipment, like tanks, in Poland’s armaments plants.

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He said prospects for developing bilateral economic ties are “excellent.”

Yoon also met with Poland’s right-wing Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and was to meet speakers of both chambers of parliament.

On Friday, Yoon and Duda are to address a Polish-Korean economic forum.

Yoon came to Warsaw after attending a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, where he sought to deepen ties with the military alliance amid global security threats including Russia’s war on Ukraine and North Korea’s illicit nuclear program.

Poland is buying some $17 billion worth of advanced military equipment from South Korea. The purchase is meant to upgrade Poland’s defense potential and fill in for the older equipment that Poland has offered to Ukraine, like the Soviet-made MiG-29 fighter jets.

Among the purchased equipment, some of which has already arrived in Poland, are Korea’s K9 howitzers, K2 tanks, Chunmoo missile launchers and FA-50 training and fighter jets.

Poland buys more from South Korea than it exports there, leaving a trade imbalance in Seoul’s favor.