Chile and South Korea have sealed a broad strategic partnership covering maritime defense, shipbuilding and Antarctic research, following the signing of multiple agreements during South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s official visit to Santiago.
Lee said the two countries wanted to deepen cooperation in defense and naval construction and agreed on the importance of establishing an institutional foundation for that work. Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast used the occasion to formally invite his South Korean counterpart to Antarctica, aiming to strengthen scientific and logistical cooperation in the region.
Maritime security pact
Chile’s maritime authority DIRECTEMAR and the South Korean Coast Guard signed a memorandum targeting illegal fishing, organized crime and technology exchanges. Admiral Fernando Cabrera, commander in chief of the Chilean Navy, said the agreement would allow the two navies to share experience, technology and information, opening areas of mutually beneficial cooperation.
On the scientific side, Chile’s Antarctic Institute INACH and South Korea’s polar research body KOPRI signed a treaty to expand studies on the continent. The agreement is expected to strengthen Punta Arenas as a logistics hub and make use of the Chilean icebreaker Almirante Viel.
Shipbuilding and industry
South Korean firm Hanwha Ocean will collaborate with Chilean state shipbuilder ASMAR to modernize national shipyards under Chile’s National Naval Construction Policy for 2025 to 2040. Hanwha confirmed it was fully committed to participating in Chile’s future submarine and frigate programs as a long-term strategic partner, with the project covering technology transfers, supplier development and professional training.
The agreements also open the way to updating the existing free trade agreement and new investment in critical minerals including copper and lithium, alongside work on artificial intelligence, biotechnology and quantum computing.
Both countries also committed to co-organizing the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Oceans in 2028.
