BUENOS AIRES — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Buenos Aires on Thursday for a summit with Argentine President Javier Milei, with bilateral cooperation expected to top the agenda.

President Lee, accompanied by first lady Kim Hea Kyung, was seen waving before departing Chile en route to the Argentine capital. His visit marks the first official trip to Argentina by a South Korean president in 22 years, underscoring a renewed push to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties between the two nations, which established formal relations in 1962.

Argentina serves as the final stop on Lee's three-nation South American tour, which has focused on enhancing trade and business cooperation across the region. South Korea has been actively seeking to deepen partnerships with Latin American economies, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, technology, and energy. Argentina holds some of the world's largest reserves of lithium, a critical mineral for battery manufacturing and South Korea's semiconductor and electric-vehicle industries, making resource cooperation a potentially significant area of mutual interest.

President Milei, who took office in late 2023, has pursued a broad program of market-oriented reforms aimed at opening Argentina's economy to greater foreign investment and trade, aligning with Seoul's efforts to diversify its supply chain partnerships beyond traditional markets.

The bilateral summit is scheduled for Friday, providing an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss mutual interests and explore avenues for expanded collaboration. Later that day, President Lee is also expected to meet with members of the Korean community residing in Argentina, home to one of the largest Korean diaspora populations in Latin America.

Following the conclusion of his South American tour, Lee is set to depart Saturday for Germany before continuing on to Seoul.

Photo: President Lee Jae Myung waves alongside first lady Kim Hea Kyung before departing Chile to head to Buenos Aires, Thursday. Credit: Yonhap