President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wrapped up a state visit to South Korea on Monday with a series of new agreements — including one that could make popular Korean skincare products easier to buy in Brazil.
Lula met with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Seoul, where the two leaders signed several deals covering agriculture, business cooperation, and health regulation.
One key agreement focuses on regulatory cooperation in the health sector. That could help reduce barriers for “K-beauty” skincare products being exported to Brazil. Lee said the move would make Korean beauty products “even more accessible to Brazilian consumers.”
South Korea has become a global powerhouse in cosmetics, exporting billions of dollars’ worth of skincare products every year. And Brazil is one of the world’s biggest beauty markets — making the partnership a natural fit.
At a joint press conference, Lee said trade between the two countries now exceeds $10 billion a year. He also announced that Brazil and South Korea have agreed to upgrade their relationship to a “strategic partnership.”
Beyond trade, the meeting had a personal tone.
Lee praised Lula’s life story, noting that both leaders rose from humble beginnings. Lee once worked in a sweatshop as a child to help support his family. Lula, as a boy, sold peanuts and shined shoes after leaving school early.
Lee said Lula’s journey shows how democracy can create real social and economic progress. He also expressed support for Lula’s political comeback after the Brazilian leader was jailed in 2018 on corruption charges and later released when the judge in the case was found to be biased.
To mark the visit, Lee’s office welcomed Lula and his wife, Rosângela, with a colorful cake decorated with their smiling faces.
Brazil remains one of South Korea’s biggest trading partners in South America, and both sides signaled they want that relationship to grow even stronger.
