Korea-Turkey cooperation expanding in nuclear energy, defense industry
Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Seoul from Monday to Wednesday marked an important moment in relations between Korea and Turkey.
His meeting with Korean President Lee Jae Myung demonstrated that the two countries are increasingly looking beyond their traditional diplomatic ties toward cooperation in strategically important industries. For Korea, the significance of the visit lies not simply in strengthening ties with a long-standing partner, but in gaining a stronger economic and technological foothold in a country connecting Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Among the outcomes, nuclear energy deserves particular attention. Turkey has ambitious plans to expand its nuclear power capacity, including the construction of a second nuclear power plant in Sinop on the Black Sea coast. Korea, with its established nuclear engineering capabilities and experience in international projects, has emerged as a serious potential partner. The summit brought the two countries a step closer to cooperation on this project, although a final construction contract has yet to be awarded.
The most significant development was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Export-Import Bank of Korea and the Turkey Nuclear Energy Company (TÜNAŞ). The agreement establishes a framework for examining financing options for Turkish nuclear power projects, including financial modeling, potential funding structures and regular technical consultations. A dedicated working group will facilitate information exchanges and identify future opportunities.
This follows the nuclear cooperation agreement signed between the Korea Electric Power Corp. and TÜNAŞ in November 2025. Preliminary feasibility assessments, site evaluations and technical discussions concerning Sinop are already underway.
These developments are important because nuclear cooperation involves much more than supplying reactors. Ankara is still considering international options, meaning Korea should demonstrate that its proposal is competitive both technologically and financially. For Seoul, securing participation in Sinop would strengthen its position in the global nuclear industry and establish a substantial long-term presence in Turkey’s energy sector.
Defense cooperation stands out as another field in which Turkey and Korea have translated their bilateral ties into concrete achievements. The Altay main battle tank program is a notable example of this partnership. Its initial production batch features a Korean powerpack comprising an HD Hyundai Infracore DV27K diesel engine and an SNT Dynamics EST15K automatic transmission. These technologies have been instrumental in advancing the program towards serial production, as Turkey continues its efforts to develop and integrate its own domestically manufactured engine and transmission systems.
During the summit, Erdogan and Lee agreed to build on this experience by expanding joint production, technological cooperation and potential cooperation in third-country defense markets. This represents a meaningful shift from supplying individual components toward developing broader industrial partnerships.
Both countries possess increasingly sophisticated defense industries, but their strengths are not identical. Korea brings advanced manufacturing capabilities, established production capacity and experience delivering major defense systems internationally. Turkey contributes a diversified defense-industrial base, growing expertise in military technologies and access to markets across several strategically important regions.
There is considerable potential for complementary cooperation, although competition between their defense manufacturers and differing export regulations will require careful management. The value of the partnership will depend on whether companies can identify projects in which joint production offers clear commercial and technological advantages.
The summit also extended cooperation into areas that could become increasingly important for Korea’s economic security. Agreements on critical minerals, natural resources and mining provide opportunities for joint exploration, processing, refining and recycling, particularly involving rare earth elements. Cooperation on artificial intelligence, biotechnology and advanced materials was also discussed. These sectors are directly relevant to Korea’s efforts to diversify supply chains and reduce exposure to geopolitical disruptions.
Economically, the two governments reiterated their ambition to increase bilateral trade to $15 billion from approximately $11 billion. They agreed to elevate the joint committee overseeing their free trade agreement from the director-general level to the ministerial level. This institutional adjustment could help address trade imbalances, market-access problems and administrative obstacles that have complicated bilateral commerce.
Yet the broader significance of the relationship is geopolitical. Turkey’s crucial position within NATO, its strong connections with Central Asia and its involvement in Middle Eastern and Black Sea affairs make it a particularly relevant partner for Korea’s expanding international engagement. Now, Seoul offers Ankara technological expertise, investment opportunities and an economic partnership not defined exclusively by European or American priorities.
Their diplomatic approaches will not always coincide, particularly regarding Russia and regional security conflicts. Nevertheless, cooperation does not require identical foreign policies. Through platforms such as the Group of 20 and MIKTA — the middle power partnership between Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey and Australia — both countries can coordinate on selected international challenges while maintaining their respective strategic priorities. Turkey’s continued support for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula also provides a constructive diplomatic dimension to the relationship.
The summit should be judged not by the number of agreements announced, but by their implementation. Progress on the Sinop nuclear power plant, commercially viable defense projects and stronger technology partnerships will offer the clearest measures of success.
For Korea, the opportunity is to move beyond being a supplier of advanced products and become a long-term partner in industrial development, energy security and regional connectivity. Turkey provides a promising setting for that ambition. What began as a friendship shaped by shared sacrifice during the 1950-53 Korean War now has the potential to develop into a partnership defined increasingly by common economic interests and strategic opportunities.
Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu is assistant professor at Joongbu University.