Lee, Carney highlight Korea-Canada ties, from support in war to partnership in trade
Published: 30 Oct. 2025, 15:30
![President Lee Jae Myung and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney shake hands upon meeting for a bilateral summit at a hotel in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Oct. 30. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/10/30/3d12f107-001a-455c-9f90-799fb3fe17a0.jpg)
President Lee Jae Myung and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney shake hands upon meeting for a bilateral summit at a hotel in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Oct. 30. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
President Lee Jae Myung proposed expanding bilateral cooperation during a summit with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday, describing Canada as “a key partner for Korea that goes beyond a friendly nation, one akin to an ally.”
Lee held a summit with Carney, who was in Korea for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, at a hotel in central Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Thursday morning.
“Canada dispatched a massive force of 27,000 troops during the Korean War and suffered nearly 400 casualties to help defend South Korea's freedom,” Lee said. “The two countries share a very special relationship.”
“We are already cooperating in many areas beyond defense, including the economy, and I expect to see even greater collaboration moving forward,” Lee continued. “Canada’s leadership in foundational AI research has greatly benefited the world.”
Lee specifically praised the Netflix animated series “KPop Demon Hunters,” saying, “Everyone thinks it was made in Korea, but it was actually directed by a Canadian. It’s a testament to Canada’s cultural capacity.”
“Despite the complexities of the global order and the many challenges it presents, I hope Korea and Canada can work together to overcome them,” Lee said. “I sincerely welcome your visit to Korea.”
Carney responded, “Thank you for the warm welcome,” and added, “We also appreciate Korea for setting an important agenda for APEC.”
“Korea is an important partner for Canada in all areas, including defense, commerce and culture,” Carney said. “Our trade relationship is important, and cooperation in defense and cultural exchanges is increasing. This is a very significant moment for the Korea-Canada relationship.”
Korean attendees included presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik, policy chief Kim Yong-beom and National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac. From the Canadian side, Carney was accompanied by chief of staff Marc-André Blanchard and Defense Minister David McGuinty.
After the summit, Lee and Carney had lunch together.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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