Egyptian president arrives in South Korea for state visit, summit with Lee

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi arrived in South Korea on Wednesday for a three-day state visit during which he will hold summit talks with President Lee Jae Myung.

El-Sisi landed at Seoul Air Base, beginning the first leg of an Asian tour that will also take him to Malaysia and Indonesia, according to the Egyptian presidency.

South Korea's presidential office said El-Sisi was visiting at Lee's invitation and would hold a summit with the South Korean leader on Thursday, Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency reported.

The two leaders are expected to discuss economic cooperation, including trade and investment, infrastructure and supply chains, as well as expanding people-to-people exchanges.

Regional political developments and other international issues will also be on the agenda, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said.

Seoul said it expects the visit to provide an opportunity to develop South Korea-Egypt relations into a strategic partnership and strengthen cooperation with Africa and the Middle East.

It is El-Sisi's first visit to South Korea since 2016.

Lee and El-Sisi last met in Cairo in November 2025 during the South Korean president's visit to Egypt.

The two countries have expanded cooperation in areas including trade, investment and the defense industry, while also seeking closer cultural and educational ties.