Cairo: President Lee Jae Myung and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi have reached an agreement to deepen their cooperation in promoting regional peace and strengthening economic and defense industry ties. The summit, held in Cairo, marked the first official visit by a South Korean president to Egypt in three years.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the two leaders emphasized their roles as 'facilitators of peace' in their joint press briefing at the presidential palace. President Lee highlighted the mutual commitment to contributing to international peace, specifically on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East. El-Sisi praised South Korea's efforts in fostering peaceful coexistence and growth and pledged his full support.

In acknowledgment, President Lee commended Egypt's endeavors to secure a ceasefire and advance reconstruction in the Gaza Strip. He reaffirmed South Korea's commitment to cooperating with Egypt to address the humanitarian challenges facing Gaza refugees.

The discussions also focused on expanding defense cooperation beyond the existing joint production of K9 howitzers to include aircraft and ground weapons systems. In 2022, Egypt had signed a $1.7 billion contract with Korea's Hanwha Aerospace for K9 self-propelled howitzers, with deliveries set for next year. President Lee expressed hopes for further collaboration on systems such as the FA-50 aircraft and Cheongeom anti-tank missiles. El-Sisi showed confidence in Korea's defense technologies and interest in joint production.

A significant outcome of the summit was the signing of a joint declaration to promote negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between South Korea and Egypt. This agreement aims to establish a framework for expanding economic ties. President Lee expressed hope for the swift commencement of CEPA negotiations.

Additionally, the two nations signed memorandums of understanding on education and cultural exchanges, reflecting the growing popularity of Korean content in Egypt. President Lee noted Egypt's leading role in Middle Eastern cultural content and its strong interest in Korean drama, K-pop, food, and language.

Following the summit, President Lee planned to deliver a speech at Cairo University outlining his vision for deeper engagement with the Middle East and was also scheduled to meet with Korean residents in Egypt.