Lee, NATO chief hold 1st in-person meeting as Korea eyes defense cooperation

President Lee Jae Myung and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte shake hands before their first in-person meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Tuesday. Yonhap

ANKARA — President Lee Jae Myung and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte held their first in-person meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Tuesday.

The two leaders met after speaking by phone twice — first on July 3, 2025, shortly after Lee took office in June last year, and again on Feb. 10 this year — as the Lee administration seeks to expand defense exports and deepen strategic partnerships beyond Seoul’s traditional allies.

Seoul has increasingly looked to NATO, whose member states collectively account for about 55 percent of global defense spending and constitute the world's largest defense procurement market.

NATO allies have also committed to a historic increase in defense spending, pledging to raise it to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in response to the changing global security environment.

Rutte, speaking through an interpreter, greeted Lee, saying, "It's a great pleasure to meet you in person. Thank you for joining us, and thank you for your special efforts to ensure that relations between South Korea and NATO continue to grow stronger."

Lee replied, "We've spoken by phone a couple of times, but it's a real pleasure to finally meet you in person."

Lee is attending the two-day NATO summit, which runs Tuesday and Wednesday, at Rutte's invitation.

Ahead of his departure from Seoul, Lee wrote on social media that, following last month's G7 summit, he would seek to expand Seoul’s role in promoting global peace and security on the NATO stage.

Referring to Rutte's recent description of South Korea's defense industrial base as "fantastic," Lee said it was a source of pride that the country's efforts to rebuild and defend itself after the devastation of war had become a globally recognized competitive strength.

"South Korea, which for many years relied on the support of the international community, has now become a country that contributes responsibly to global peace and security," Lee wrote. "I will do my utmost during this trip to give the Korean people even greater pride."

Lee's schedule for Tuesday includes a small-group meeting with Rutte and the leaders of the Indo-Pacific Partners (IP4) — Japan, Australia and New Zealand — as well as participation in the official NATO Defense Industry Forum, where Lee is to deliver keynote remarks during a session titled "Shared Values, Stronger Industrial Base."

He is also scheduled to attend an official welcome dinner hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and first lady Emine Erdogan.