Intergovernmental MOUs Signed During President Lee’s State Visit
Pilot Projects in African Agriculture, Digitalization, and Education
Expanded Cooperation in AI, Space, and Biotechnology
South Korea and Italy have signed 4 intergovernmental memoranda of understanding (MOUs) within the fields of improvement cooperation, superior science and know-how·ICT, social solidarity financial system, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)·microbusinesses, on the event of President Lee Jae-myung’s state go to to Italy. This transfer comes after the 2 nations elevated their relationship to a “special strategic partnership,” laying the institutional basis for substantive cooperation in financial, technological, and improvement sectors.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Antonio Tajani, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, signed a improvement cooperation MOU on the twelfth (native time) on the Prime Minister’s Guest House in Rome, Italy, attended by President Lee Jae-myung and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. 2026.6.12 Yonhap News Agency
President Lee Jae-myung and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attended the MOU signing ceremony held on the Prime Minister’s State Guest House in Rome on June 12 (native time), following their official summit assembly. The signing of those paperwork targeted on translating the “2026–2030 Korea-Italy Strategic Action Plan” — adopted by each nations — into concrete tasks, thereby giving sensible substance to the particular strategic partnership.
The most notable space is cooperation on improvement in Africa. Through the Korea-Italy improvement cooperation MOU, the 2 nations will regularize their coverage consultative conferences and pursue pilot joint tasks in Africa, leveraging their respective strengths. Target sectors embrace agriculture and rural improvement (reminiscent of espresso), digitalization, and training and coaching. Target nations recognized embrace Uganda, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Côte d’Ivoire. This initiative is aimed toward realizing a mutually helpful partnership linked to Italy’s core Africa technique, the “Mattei Plan,” and at producing joint improvement outcomes in Africa for each nations.
An MOU on cooperation in superior science and know-how·ICT was additionally signed. The two nations agreed to develop cooperation in future strategic applied sciences, together with synthetic intelligence (AI), quantum know-how, biotechnology·life sciences, and area know-how. They will even promote participation in worldwide analysis applications, joint use of analysis infrastructure, and info alternate on science and know-how insurance policies and authorized/regulatory traits. The two nations plan to evaluation the implementation of those cooperative tasks and talk about follow-up duties by way of the Korea-Italy Joint Committee on Science and Technology.
This MOU, primarily based on the Korea-Italy Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement signed in 2007, establishes a brand new framework for collaboration encompassing rising applied sciences. The initiative goals to increase conventional scientific cooperation into digital and superior know-how sectors, positioning science, know-how, and innovation as a core pillar of the bilateral particular strategic partnership. President Lee additionally beforehand defined in a joint press announcement that the 2 nations are supporting joint analysis tasks in AI, superior biotechnology, area·marine·aerospace, semiconductors, and shows.
On June 12, 2026, Yoon Hojung, Minister of the Interior and Safety, and Marina Teresa Bellucci, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policies of Italy, held a Social Solidarity Economy MOU signing ceremony on the Prime Minister’s State Guesthouse in Rome, Italy, attended by President Lee Jae-myung and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
Cooperation between the 2 nations will even start within the social solidarity financial system sector. Under the MOU on social solidarity financial system, South Korea and Italy will collaborate on joint analysis associated to general coverage and programs, authorized and institutional enhancements, sharing greatest practices and modern fashions, revitalizing social finance, and supporting the institution of worldwide networks. As that is the primary MOU signed with Italy — thought to be a number one nation in cooperatives and the social solidarity financial system — it’s anticipated to function a chance to broaden the scope of bilateral cooperation.
The MOU on cooperation concerning SMEs and microbusinesses features a shared recognition of the financial contribution and significance of SMEs and microbusinesses in each nations, in addition to the promotion of coverage dialogue and alternate of institutional practices. The presidential workplace expects that linking Italy’s conventional manufacturing strengths and craftsmanship with Korea’s technological innovation capabilities will present a basis to boost the worldwide competitiveness of SMEs and microbusinesses in each nations. The settlement additionally signifies an growth of exchanges past intergovernmental cooperation to the personal sector, together with cooperatives.
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The signing of those MOUs is a big step in extending the upgraded bilateral relationship into the financial and industrial domains. The two nations plan to observe the implementation of the MOUs and determine concrete tasks by way of coverage consultative conferences, joint committees, and working-level channels in every discipline.
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