By Reporter Lee jon young 

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who made an official visit to Poland, held a summit with President Andrzej Duda of Poland at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw on July 13 (local time) and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on cooperation for Ukraine's reconstruction.

In a joint press statement after the meeting, President Yoon stated, "We also agree that Korea and Poland can be optimal partners in Ukraine's reconstruction" and expressed confidence that the infrastructure cooperation and MOU on Ukraine's reconstruction signed between the two countries would serve as a solid foundation for expanding cooperation between their companies.

President Duda mentioned Poland's purchase of FA-50 fighter jets, K2 tanks, and K9 self-propelled howitzers from Korea, stating, "We not only import weapons from Korea but also want to produce Korean weapons in Poland," specifically pointing out the K2 tanks.

President Duda mentioned the expanding trade volume between the two countries and stated that they would increase air routes between Korea and Poland to promote business and tourism. He also mentioned ongoing discussions regarding the export of Polish agricultural products to the Korean market.

President Yoon said, "We have agreed to support excellent Korean companies in their participation in the construction project of the new Polish airport high-speed railway," and expressed agreement that Korea and Poland can be optimal partners in Ukraine's reconstruction.

President Yoon condemned North Korea's ICBM launches and development of nuclear weapons and missiles, and stated that they would jointly make efforts to block the dispatch of illegal North Korean labor and cyber activities, aiming to improve the human rights situation in North Korea.

Furthermore, President Yoon stated, "Both of our leaders have agreed to cooperate and stand in solidarity to uphold a rules-based international order and regard Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a challenge to freedom, human rights, and the rule of law in the international community, and continue to provide support for ending the war and restoring peace."

The two countries also agreed to expand cooperation in areas such as defense industry, nuclear power plant construction, and infrastructure projects.

President Yoon mentioned, "We share the view that nuclear power generation is the optimal solution for energy security and achieving carbon neutrality, and we have agreed to actively support cooperation between companies from both countries for the successful construction of Poland's nuclear power plants."

He continued, "Last year, a large-scale defense export contract was signed between Korea and Poland, and rapid deliveries have been made since then," and welcomed the discussions on Poland's plans to import additional Korean weapons. 

He also expressed delight at the opportunity for Korea to participate as a leading country in this year's Poland International Defense Industry Exhibition, promoting the achievements of Korea-Poland defense cooperation and the excellence of Korean defense industries.

Following the summit meeting, the governments of Korea and Poland signed three MOUs: the Korea-Poland Trade and Investment Promotion Framework (TIPF) MOU, the Korea-Poland Transportation Infrastructure Development Cooperation MOU, and the Korea-Poland Ukraine Reconstruction Cooperation MOU.