Turkish minister to attend Global Infrastructure Conference in South Korea

Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, is set to visit South Korea for the Global Infrastructure Cooperation Conference (GICC) 2024, scheduled to take place on Sept. 11-12.

According to an official statement from the ministry, Uraloglu will hold a series of meetings aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between Türkiye and South Korea in the fields of communication and infrastructure.

The visit will focus on exploring new strategic collaborations and deepening the existing cooperation between the two nations.

Türkiye to hold meetings with key officials

On September 11, Uraloglu will begin his visit by meeting with Türkiye’s Ambassador to South Korea, Salih Murat Tamer, at the Turkish Embassy in Seoul. Following this, Uraloglu will engage in talks with South Korea’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, Park Sang-Woo.

The discussions will focus on the potential for increased collaboration between Türkiye and South Korea in communication and infrastructure projects.

“The meeting will aim to explore cooperation potential and establish new strategic bridges between the two countries,” the ministry stated.

Both nations will share their experiences in engineering, technology, and infrastructure development, further enhancing strategic partnerships.

Participation in GICC 2024

Uraloglu is scheduled to participate in GICC 2024, an event designed to bring together international companies and institutions, fostering new partnerships and business opportunities.

During the conference, he will engage in discussions with various stakeholders from the global infrastructure sector.

Besides attending the conference, Uraloglu will meet with Turkish businesspeople residing in South Korea and South Korean business leaders to discuss Türkiye’s ongoing and future investments in logistics, transportation, and infrastructure.

Cultural visits and ceremonial events

As part of his itinerary, Uraloglu will visit notable landmarks such as Gyeongbok Palace and Namsan Seoul Tower.

He will be accompanied by Central Bank of Türkiye Governor Fatih Karahan and Deputy Minister of National Defense Suay Alpay.

On the second day of his visit, Uraloglu will travel by high-speed train from Seoul to Busan, where he will visit the United Nations Memorial Cemetery. This cemetery is the final resting place of 462 Turkish soldiers who lost their lives during the Korean War.

Uraloglu will lay a wreath at the Turkish Monument in honor of the fallen soldiers.

Türkiye was the first country after the U.S. to answer the UN’s call for military aid to South Korea after the North attacked in 1950. The first Turkish brigade left the Mersin Port in southern Türkiye under the command of Brig. Gen. Tahsin Yazici on Sept. 17, arriving 26 days later at Busan, Korea.

With a total of 21,212 soldiers, Türkiye was the country sending the fourth most troops to Korea, with four brigades.

Türkiye was also the third among the 16 participating countries in the total number of casualties with over 900 total martyrs, veterans and missing in action. The U.N. Memorial Cemetery in Busan bears 462 Turkish martyrs.