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

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The South Korean president began a visit to Poland for two days of talks and meetings on global security, the war in neighboring Ukraine, and developing bilateral business and defense ties.

President Yoon Suk Yeol was greeted Thursday by his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda, at the Presidential Palace, where they proceeded into talks. Yoon was also to meet with Poland’s right-wing Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and speakers of both chambers of parliament.

Duda has described it as a “very important visit” by a “very prominent guest.”

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 in the process of 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.