By Ruy A. ValdésSeoul, July 31 (EFE).- South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung visited Buenos Aires on Friday, the final stop on his South American tour, seeking closer cooperation in critical minerals, promoting a trade agreement with Mercosur and diversifying energy sources.«Building on our successful cooperation on lithium production, our two countries will sign a memorandum of understanding on Critical Minerals Supply Chain Cooperation during this visit,» Lee said in an interview with EFE ahead of his summit with Argentine President Javier Milei.
The leader of Asia’s fourth-largest economy said the memorandum «aims to establish a cooperative framework for the entire critical minerals supply chain».Lee highlighted South Korea’s advanced industrial capabilities, particularly in battery materials, saying the country would be the «optimal partner» for Argentina’s efforts to add value to its mineral resources.He referred to the Sal de Oro project—operated by the Argentine subsidiary of the South Korean company POSCO in the provinces of Salta and Catamarca—as an example of cooperation, as the project covers the entire value chain, from lithium extraction and processing to the commercial production of lithium compounds.
