President Lee Jae Myung held a summit with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday to discuss cooperation between the two countries.

The presidential office said in a news release that Italy and South Korea have been deepening bilateral relations across various sectors, including trade and investment, as shown in the Italy-Korea Business Forum that took place in Seoul earlier in September.

During the discussion, Lee highlighted commonalities between the two countries, including geography and national character, as well as the potential for bilateral cooperation in artificial intelligence and defense.

Meloni expressed her hope to visit South Korea at the earliest opportunity to discuss practical cooperation and invited Lee to visit Italy at his convenience.

Both leaders underscored their shared stances on major global issues, pledged to explore opportunities for collaboration and committed to continue playing key roles on the international stage.