President Lee Jae Myung and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum shake hands following a joint press statement at the National Palace in Mexico City on Thursday (local time). [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum shake hands following a joint press statement at the National Palace in Mexico City on Thursday (local time). [Yonhap]

President Lee Jae Myung, on a state visit to Mexico, met Thursday (local time) with Mexican Senate Speaker Higinio Martínez Miranda and leaders of six parliamentary groups in the Senate.

During the meeting, Lee asked for the Senate's attention and support at the legislative level in implementing follow-up measures from the summit and advancing the South Korea-Mexico strategic partnership.

Before the meeting, the Mexican Congress held a ceremony welcoming Lee's state visit. Senate Speaker Martínez said he expected the visit to serve as an important opportunity to further develop the bilateral strategic partnership.

Lee praised the Mexican Senate — which has a history of more than 200 years — for its role in advancing Mexican democracy and the country's federal system.

He also said the summit had expanded the scope of bilateral cooperation into forward-looking areas such as AI and digital technology, aerospace, and advanced technology and defense industries. He called on the Mexican Senate to continue its support so that the cooperation could translate into tangible results.

Senate Speaker Martínez expressed repeated gratitude that Lee had personally visited the Senate and taken the time to meet with the speaker's office and leaders of the major parliamentary groups.

Martínez also said the Mexican Senate would contribute to expanding practical cooperation between South Korea and Mexico — two countries that have achieved economic and democratic development together.

Mexican senators at the meeting noted that K-pop, Korean drama series and Korean culture more broadly have surged in popularity in Mexico, to the point that South Korea has become the Asian country Mexican youth most want to visit. They also said Korean companies and products enjoy strong popularity in Mexico.

Lee said that while South Korea and Mexico are geographically far apart, the two peoples share a similar sensibility — a love of spicy food and music — and that he believes the two nations are already psychologically very close.


sang@heraldcorp.com