President Lee Jae Myung holds hands with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as Lula moves to deliver a toast at a state banquet welcoming his visit at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Feb. 23, 2026. Yonhap

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SEOUL, February 24 (AJP) -Cordiality defined the meeting between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during Lula’s three-day state visit to Seoul — his first in 21 years since 2005.

Lula was the first state guest welcomed by Lee since the presidential office returned to Cheong Wa Dae in December last year, adding symbolic weight to the visit.
The two leaders held formal talks at Cheong Wa Dae on Feb. 23, followed by a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony and a joint press conference.

But beyond the official program, it was their personal chemistry that stood out. Both leaders, who rose from working-class backgrounds to their nations’ highest offices, shared a warm embrace — a gesture that underscored both political alignment and personal affinity.

Seoul and Brasília agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a “strategic partnership,” signaling a deeper institutional framework for cooperation.

Brazil — Latin America’s largest economy with a population exceeding 200 million — is a major agricultural and resource powerhouse and an influential voice of the Global South. The country maintains active engagement with China, India and Japan, positioning itself as a pivotal partner in emerging-market diplomacy.
Lula departed on Tuesday after concluding his three-day state visit.

An official welcoming ceremony for Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the first state guest received since President Lee Jae-myung’s return to Cheong Wa Dae, is held at the main garden of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Feb. 23, 2026. Yonhap

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An official welcoming ceremony for Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the first state guest received since President Lee Jae-myung’s return to Cheong Wa Dae, is held at the main garden of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Feb. 23, 2026. Yonhap

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President Lee Jae-myung and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva hold an expanded summit at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Feb. 23, 2026. Yonhap

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President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung join Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and First Lady Rosângela Lula da Silva in a toast during a state banquet welcoming Lula’s visit at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Feb. 23, 2026. Yonhap

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President Lee Jae Myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung pose for a commemorative photo with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and First Lady Rosângela Lula da Silva at Sangchunjae inside Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Feb. 23, 2026. Provided by Cheong Wa Dae

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Yoo Na-hyun Reporter shooting@ajupress.com

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