President Lee Jae Myung and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva make finger-heart gestures toward reporters after a joint press statement at the Brazilian presidential residence in Brasilia on Monday (local time). [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva make finger-heart gestures toward reporters after a joint press statement at the Brazilian presidential residence in Brasilia on Monday (local time). [Yonhap]

President Lee Jae Myung departed for Sao Paulo on Monday (local time) after wrapping up a summit with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brasilia.

Lee and his wife Kim Hye-kyung arrived at the Brasilia Air Force Base, where Brazilian officials — including Chief of Protocol Thiago Poggio, Asia-Pacific Deputy Assistant Secretary Susan Klibanck and Asia-Pacific Director Paulo Martins of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry — saw the couple off. Jang Hyeon-cheol, minister at the Korean Embassy in Brazil, also greeted the president and his wife.

Lee wore a gray suit with the red, blue and white tie he had on during the summit, while Kim appeared in a pink two-piece outfit. Lee shook hands and exchanged words with each member of the farewell party in turn. Klibanck told Lee she hoped he would visit again, and Martins said he hoped Lee had enjoyed his time in Brasilia, to which Lee smiled and nodded.

Poggio said it was good to see Lee again since February and wished him a comfortable journey. Lee thanked him in return.

The couple then boarded Air Force One and headed for Sao Paulo. In Brazil's economic, financial and commercial hub, Lee is scheduled to attend a luncheon with the Korean diaspora community, a Korea-Brazil business roundtable and a visit to the Sao Paulo Metalworkers' Union.

Earlier, Lee and Lula agreed at their summit to launch a joint defense industry committee in the second half of the year and to pursue an agreement on the protection and exchange of military and defense classified information.

They also announced MOUs to strengthen cooperation in seven areas, including the space industry and critical minerals such as rare earths.


moone@heraldcorp.com