Egypt's Sisi to make state visit to South Korea Oct 7-9, summit with Lee on Oct 8
In short
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will make a state visit to South Korea from Oct 7 to 9 at President Lee Jae-myung's invitation, the Blue House said in a written briefing on Tuesday. The two leaders will hold a summit on Oct 8, preceded by an official welcome ceremony and followed by an MOU signing and a state luncheon. Talks are to cover trade and investment, infrastructure, supply chains and people-to-people exchanges, the Blue House said.
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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will make a state visit to South Korea from Oct 7 to 9 at the invitation of President Lee Jae-myung, Blue House senior spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said in a written briefing on Oct 6. The two leaders will hold a summit on Oct 8, according to the briefing. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
Sisi arrives on Oct 7 and stays through Oct 9. On Oct 8, the programme begins with an official welcome ceremony and continues with the summit, a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony and a state luncheon, the Blue House said. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
According to the Blue House, the summit will focus on expanding economic cooperation in trade and investment, infrastructure and supply chains, along with broader people-to-people exchanges, regional conditions and major international issues. Yonhap, carrying the briefing, noted supply-chain cooperation among the topics. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
The visit is the first by an Egyptian president in about 10 years, after 2016. Sisi, in office since 2014, and Lee last met in Egypt in November 2025, roughly 11 months ago. Newsis reported that during that Cairo meeting Lee set out a Middle East initiative called SHINE, centered on stability, harmony, innovation, networks and education. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
Seoul Economic Daily described Egypt as a hub of international logistics linking Europe, Africa and the Middle East and a strategic point in global maritime trade via the Suez Canal. The Blue House said Egypt has been a key cooperation partner, with ties developed across economic, cultural and educational fields since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1995. [ 2 , 7 ]
Kang said the state visit is expected to develop Korea-Egypt relations into a strategic partnership and to serve as an important occasion for strengthening cooperation with Africa and the Middle East. Asia Economy reported the visit as a reciprocal trip following Lee's travel to Egypt last year. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
Why it matters
The visit is the first by an Egyptian president in 10 years and comes about 11 months after Lee's trip to Egypt, making the two countries' exchanges reciprocal at head-of-state level. The Blue House frames it as a step toward a strategic partnership and stronger cooperation with Africa and the Middle East, regions where Egypt is described as a key partner and logistics hub.
Key facts
- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will make a state visit to South Korea from Oct 7 to 9 at President Lee Jae-myung's invitation. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Lee and Sisi will hold a summit on Oct 8, starting with an official welcome ceremony, followed by the summit, an MOU signing ceremony and a state luncheon. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- The summit agenda covers trade and investment, infrastructure, supply chains, expanded people-to-people exchanges, regional conditions and international issues. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Sisi's visit is the first by an Egyptian president in 10 years, after 2016, according to the Blue House. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- The two leaders last met in Egypt in November 2025, about 11 months earlier. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- At the November 2025 meeting in Cairo, Lee set out a Middle East initiative called SHINE, centered on stability, harmony, innovation, networks and education, according to Newsis. [ 3 ]
- Korea and Egypt established diplomatic ties in 1995 and have expanded cooperation in economic, cultural and educational fields, the Blue House said. [ 2 , 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Sisi will make a state visit to Korea from Oct 7 to 9 at Lee's invitation, and the two will hold a summit on Oct 8. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- The Oct 8 schedule includes an official welcome ceremony, a summit, an MOU signing ceremony and a state luncheon. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Summit discussions will cover trade and investment, infrastructure, supply chains, people-to-people exchanges and regional and international issues. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Sisi's visit is the first by an Egyptian president in about 10 years, and the leaders last met in Egypt in November 2025. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
Still unclear
- Which memorandums of understanding will be signed on Oct 8 and what they cover. The documents say an MOU signing ceremony is planned but do not name any agreement or its contents.
- Whether any specific economic deals, investment figures or deliverables are expected from the summit. All documents describe the agenda only in general categories, with no figures or named projects.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Blue House senior spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung releases a written briefing announcing Sisi's state visit from Oct 7 to 9 and the Oct 8 summit with Lee. [ 2 , 5 ]
- Newsis reports Sisi, in power since 2014, will visit after 10 years, and notes the previous summit in Egypt in November 2025 where Lee announced the SHINE initiative. [ 3 ]
- Yonhap reports the summit agenda, including supply-chain cooperation. [ 5 ]