Brazil, South Korea Upgrade Ties to Strategic Partnership, Boosting Trade and K-Beauty Access
Seoul: Brazil and South Korea have agreed to elevate their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership following summit talks between President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung during Lula’s state visit to Seoul on Monday.
The two leaders signed a series of agreements spanning agriculture, business cooperation and regulatory coordination, underscoring a shared ambition to deepen economic and diplomatic engagement. Annual trade between the two nations now exceeds $10 billion, with Brazil standing among South Korea’s largest trading partners in South America.
A significant outcome of the visit was a memorandum of understanding aimed at enhancing regulatory cooperation in the health sector. The agreement is expected to ease market entry for South Korean cosmetics and skincare products — widely recognised under the global “K-beauty” label — into Brazil’s lucrative beauty and personal care market.
President Lee said closer regulatory alignment would help make Korean beauty products more accessible to Brazilian consumers. South Korea has grown into a global powerhouse in the cosmetics industry, exporting billions of dollars’ worth of skincare products each year, while Brazil ranks among the world’s largest markets for beauty goods.
Beyond trade, the meeting carried symbolic importance. Lee praised Lula’s rise from a humble background to the presidency, describing it as an example of democratic resilience and social mobility. Lula, who returned to office after his previous conviction was annulled due to judicial bias, said the strengthened ties reflected growing cooperation between key emerging economies.
The visit concluded with a formal reception in Seoul, marking what both governments described as the beginning of a new and more strategic phase in Brazil–South Korea relations.
