Accompanied by a delegation of ministers and first lady Emine Erdoğan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived in Seoul on Monday for an official visit at the invitation of President Lee Jae Myung. The president and the first lady were welcomed at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam by South Korean Trade Minister Park Jung-sung.

Erdoğan’s visit will mostly concentrate on economic relations and, particularly, partnership in nuclear power.

The president is accompanied on his visit by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chair and head of Health Policies Halit Yerebakan, and Defense Industries Secretary Haluk Görgün.

Erdoğan said South Korea could become ​a partner in developing Türkiye’s planned Sinop nuclear power ⁠station, according to ⁠an interview with Yonhap News Agency reported on Monday. Türkiye has been studying ​the technical ⁠and economic terms of the Black Sea project with state-run Korea Electric Power Corp, Erdoğan said. Ankara would weigh financing, electricity costs and benefits to the Turkish economy before choosing a partner, he added.

In his ⁠interview with Yonhap, Erdoğan also identified defense, semiconductors, artificial intelligence and robotics as potential areas ​for cooperation and called for more South ​Korean investment and joint production in Türkiye. He said ⁠the ‌countries ‌were working toward a $15 billion bilateral ⁠trade target, while ‌calling for efforts to address an imbalance ​in South Korea’s ⁠favor. He invited ⁠South Korean companies to participate in Turkish ⁠transport ​and logistics projects linking Asia and Europe.

Türkiye and South Korea signed a memorandum of understanding on nuclear energy cooperation during President Lee’s visit to Türkiye in 2025, a deal covering reactor technology, site assessment, licensing, financing and business models. “We attach considerable importance to the negotiations we are holding with Korea on this topic. We are well aware of our Korean friends’ experience with nuclear energy,” Erdoğan was quoted by Yonhap. “We are taking into account our contacts with other countries and examining all possible choices in light of our national interests,” he also said.

“With its strong manufacturing infrastructure, skilled workforce and strategic location, Türkiye offers significant opportunities for Korean investors,” Erdoğan also said in the interview. “By combining the Republic of Korea’s expertise in technology and innovation with Türkiye’s manufacturing strength, we can achieve far greater success.”

He cited investments by South Korea’s Hyundai and Posco as examples of bilateral cooperation, pointing out that Hyundai launched electric vehicle production in Türkiye’s Izmit recently. Erdoğan said risks to global energy markets and trade routes, including those through the Strait of Hormuz, which faced the fallout from the U.S.-Iran war, necessitated more investment in Türkiye’s transport and logistics infrastructure and invited South Korean firms to invest in his country more.

“The current crisis has once again demonstrated just how vital it is to develop reliable alternative routes for international trade,” he said. Erdoğan also urged the two countries to address what he described as a significant imbalance in bilateral trade. “We have set a target of $15 billion in bilateral trade volume. As we work toward this goal, we prioritize developing a more balanced trade structure, expanding investment and encouraging greater collaboration in production,” he told Yonhap.

Looking beyond economic and strategic cooperation, Erdoğan stressed the importance of the longstanding friendship between the two countries, describing their relationship as one “forged in blood,” in reference to Turkish troops fighting in the Korean War decades ago. “The bonds of brotherhood and mutual trust that have been passed down through generations are at the center of our relationships. It is our responsibility to pass this treasured legacy on to future generations in an even stronger form,” he said. “I believe that our visit will pave the way for concrete steps to further advance cooperation between our two countries.”

South Korea and Türkiye are set to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2027, providing an opportunity to further strengthen their longstanding political, economic and cultural ties.

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Pakistan has appointed veteran diplomat Amna Baloch as its first female ambassador to Türkiye, marking a milestone in the country’s diplomatic history as Islamabad seeks to deepen its longstanding strategic partnership with Ankara.

Baloch, a career diplomat with more than three decades of experience, has assumed her duties as ambassador-designate, bringing extensive experience in bilateral and multilateral diplomacy to her new assignment.

She previously served as Pakistan’s 33rd foreign secretary, becoming one of the country’s most senior diplomats after holding several high-profile overseas postings.

A member of Pakistan’s Foreign Service since 1991, Baloch holds master’s degrees in history and business administration.

Her diplomatic career includes assignments at Pakistani missions in Copenhagen and Colombo, as well as a posting as consul general in Chengdu, China.

She subsequently served as high commissioner to Malaysia from 2019 to 2023 and ambassador to Belgium from 2023 to 2024 before taking over as foreign secretary.

Her appointment to Ankara comes as Pakistan and Türkiye continue efforts to expand cooperation across political, economic, defense and cultural fields, building on their close historical ties and mutual support.

Baloch expressed gratitude to Pakistan’s prime minister for entrusting her with the assignment, describing the appointment as a great honor and pledging to carry out her responsibilities with dedication, integrity and commitment.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar praised her years of diplomatic service and extended his best wishes for her new role.

President Asif Ali Zardari also congratulated Baloch, commending her tenure as foreign secretary and emphasizing the importance of further strengthening relations between Pakistan and Türkiye.

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Turkish security forces arrested 41 suspected members of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) in coordinated counterterrorism operations across 32 provinces, the Interior Ministry announced Monday.

A total of 72 suspects were detained in operations conducted by provincial gendarmerie units under the coordination of the Gendarmerie General Command’s Counterterrorism Department and public prosecutors’ offices.

According to the ministry, the suspects were allegedly involved in the terrorist group’s ongoing organizational activities, maintained contact with senior operatives and provided financial support to organizations affiliated with FETÖ.

Some suspects were also accused of spreading terrorist propaganda through social media platforms.

The terrorist group faced more investigations following the July 15 coup attempt that killed 251 people and injured nearly 2,200 others. Tens of thousands of people were detained, arrested or dismissed from public sector jobs following the attempt under a state of emergency.

Security forces seized numerous organizational documents and digital materials during the raids, which covered major cities including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, Adana and Gaziantep.

The ministry said that of the 72 suspects detained during the operations, 41 were arrested, while judicial proceedings against the remaining suspects are ongoing.

“We congratulate our heroic gendarmerie personnel, the department, public prosecutors’ offices and everyone involved in the operations,” it added.

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Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ünal Üstel told Greek Cypriots to stop complaining and embrace the hand they extended for cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The two sides on the divided island of Cyprus remain at odds for maritime rights and the Greek Cypriot administration recently lobbied at the United Nations and European Union over the work of the Akdeniz Araştırma 1 (Mediterranean Survey) ship in the Eastern Mediterranean, citing that it cannot work without authorization of the Greek Cypriot administration. The Turkish ship is tasked with scientific surveying, from monitoring maritime pollution to fishing stocks. Üstel said Greek Cypriot claims in the region are “far from reality.”

In his written statement on the Prime Ministry’s website, Üstel noted that the TRNC and “motherland” Türkiye have continued surveys in the Eastern Mediterranean and these surveys are based on legitimate rights of the two countries and that this activity would not change.

Üstel stressed that there would be no concessions on the legitimate rights of the Turkish Cypriot people or strategic projects being carried out with Türkiye. He said it must be clearly understood that no steps taken on the island while ignoring the equal rights and status of Turkish Cypriots could be considered legitimate.

Pointing out that Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos’ unease over the Türkiye-TRNC Natural Gas Pipeline Project was another reflection of the same mentality, Üstel said: “The Greek Cypriot administration, which independently signs all kinds of agreements with foreign countries, is in no position to interfere with the TRNC’s decisions or its efforts to implement projects.”

He said that the pipeline project would proceed at full speed and be completed, adding that the Turkish Cypriot people would benefit from it. “Following the water brought to the island through the Project of the Century (a water pipeline project with Türkiye), the Turkish Cypriot people will also gain access to natural gas. This pipeline will be more than just an energy project, it will stand as one of the most concrete symbols of the unbreakable bond between the Turkish Cypriot people and their motherland, Türkiye,” he said.

Stressing that the Greek Cypriot leadership should seek avenues for cooperation rather than complain about projects that have earned international recognition and contribute to the welfare of the Turkish Cypriot people, Üstel said the Turkish side’s doors remained open to the Greek Cypriot leadership on both water and natural gas issues.

“We are addressing the Greek Cypriot people: It is time to tell your leadership to put an end to its uncompromising, destructive and dangerous policies. It is in the interest of both peoples to seek ways for two separate peoples and two separate states to live side by side in peace on the island,” he said.

The prime minister emphasized that acknowledging this reality was also a prerequisite for lasting peace and stability in Cyprus.

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Fuat Oktay, head of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, met representatives of Turkish civic society organizations in Germany’s Berlin on Monday. Oktay, accompanied by the members of the committee, underlined in remarks to journalists that the European Union should reach out to Türkiye and abandon its “strategic blindness.”

Türkiye has sought accession to the 27-nation bloc for decades, only to see its bid stalled time after time for a wide variety of reasons. For every stage of progress in the membership process, Ankara faced a major obstacle, often the result of antagonism by some members of the bloc toward Türkiye.

Oktay said Europe’s multicultural structure was deteriorating and the EU was on its way to becoming an inward-looking club. “We therefore say that you need to overcome this strategic blindness. Including Türkiye in the EU would benefit you more than it would benefit Türkiye,” he said. Emphasizing that Türkiye’s accession to the EU would give the bloc a strategic vision, Oktay said: “Establishing a partnership with Türkiye as a country that contributes rather than being a burden would serve the interests of both sides.”

Noting that the EU’s cumbersome structure was becoming increasingly apparent, Oktay said: “We clearly see that the EU is unable to make political decisions, is increasingly lagging behind developments and is suffering from strategic blindness. We also see setbacks in Europe, particularly in terms of democratic progress and democratization.”

Oktay stressed that the EU had become confined by the foreign policy positions of Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration. “Our position on this is very clear. There can be no approach more damaging to the EU than confining itself to the foreign policies of these two countries,” he said.

The said countries are overtly antagonistic to Türkiye’s role in the EU, whether through membership or cooperation, as both see Türkiye as a rival in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean. Turkish-Greek relations have been lukewarm for decades and though Ankara and Athens sought rapprochement in recent years, tensions remain, especially on maritime borders and rights.

Oktay said Türkiye was not only a member of NATO’s southern flank but also a country that contributes significantly to ensuring security on the eastern flank. Pointing out that the EU and other European countries were making serious efforts to establish their own security architecture, Oktay said: “We say that NATO already provides an umbrella. These efforts should continue under the NATO umbrella. You can build additional capacity to establish your own architecture, but the main structure should remain within the NATO framework.”

Underlining that the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative, which focuses on the bloc’s defense industry, was one of these mechanisms, Oktay said: “You want Türkiye to contribute to Europe’s security within the NATO framework on the one hand. We say that is fine. But when the EU tells Türkiye that it cannot participate in these areas, while EU member states alone are allowed to produce and sell defense equipment, that is a double standard. Or if you continue to impose limits, standards and restrictions in certain areas, that is also a double standard. Therefore, as Türkiye, we say it is time to act together.”

He stressed that the time had come for the EU and Türkiye to cooperate not only on security but also across multiple areas, including the economy, social affairs and politics, rather than limiting their relationship to a single dimension.

Addressing the draft Industrial Accelerator Act prepared by the EU, particularly its proposed “Made in EU” requirement and the disadvantages this could create for all parties, Oktay said: “We will call for an end to this narrow-minded approach. We are already making this demand.”

Noting that Europe had now become a country that was itself suffering from an illness and seeking a cure, Oktay said: “Therefore, we will continue on our own path, guided by what we know best, but in line with the interests of our citizens and Türkiye. If this brings us together on the path toward full EU membership, both sides will benefit.”

Oktay also noted that his meetings in Germany would provide an opportunity to discuss visa issues, the modernization of the customs union and counterterrorism.

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In a career that took him from embassies around the world to the post of foreign minister and finally, the post of secretary-general at the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OECD), Feridun Sinirlioğlu saw how diplomacy worked and failed. As Türkiye’s candidate to succeed outgoing U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Sinirlioğlu outlined his pledges for his possible next job. The vision statement of Sinirlioğlu, included in his application to the job, focuses on the comprehensive reform process at the international body and how the United Nations has a historic opportunity to become what it is envisioned to be after the accomplishment of reforms.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan fiercely advocates comprehensive reform at the United Nations, especially the Security Council, which he says fails to be inclusive and often underlines that countries outside major powers should have more say in international affairs. Erdoğan’s advocacy especially escalated during Israel’s genocidal attacks in Gaza, which have killed tens of thousands of people since 2023. The Turkish leader often accuses the international community, making up the United Nations, of failing to act against Israel to stop the genocide, though many countries, even a few among the Western countries that staunchly support Israel, were hailed by Erdoğan for breaking the silence.

Sinirlioğlu’s vision statement entitled “Upholding Multilateralism and Building Bridges” summarizes his policy promises if elected as the next U.N. chief.

Under the title of “A United Nations That Fulfills Its Mission,” the statement reminds us that the body was founded to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.”

“The UN Charter was forged through the wisdom of women and men who knew all too well the unspeakable price that war had inflicted on humanity. From the ashes of war and from the sacrifice of millions, the United Nations was established to maintain international peace and security. Throughout the decades, it has become the foremost global forum for building peace, advancing economic and social development, and promoting universal human rights. While much has been accomplished, humanity once again stands at a defining moment in its history.

“International peace and security are under unprecedented strain. War is ravaging peoples and lands across the globe; widening economic inequalities undermine the legitimate aspiration of future generations to achieve greater prosperity than those who came before them; demographic shifts and global migration patterns raise new challenges that demand coordinated international responses; human rights are violated in plain sight and weakened by intolerable double standards; and transnational threats, including organized crime and terrorism, challenge States’ sovereignty and threaten the security of all. At the same time, a new technological revolution is unfolding, generating both extraordinary opportunities and profound uncertainty,” Sinirlioğlu said in his statement.

“Only a United Nations that rediscovers its original historic mission and purpose can rise to the challenge. The Charter has been and remains our enduring beacon, providing the principles and framework for international dialogue and cooperation. I am convinced that it is what stands between humanity and the abyss of endless war and destruction. As Secretary-General, I would faithfully uphold, serve, and promote the Charter. With more than four decades of experience in diplomacy, I remain firmly convinced that the United Nations can once again guide humanity toward peace, prosperity, and dignity for all. I seek the office of Secretary-General because I believe the United Nations remains indispensable – not because it is perfect, but because no other institution possesses its universal legitimacy, convening power, and moral responsibility,” he added. The Secretary-General must be an independent guardian of the Charter, an honest broker among Member States, and a visionary leader of the world’s most complex multilateral institution. The role demands integrity, impartiality, courage, and the ability to listen carefully and to lead. These qualities are particularly vital at a time when the United Nations is called upon to undertake profound reform, reduce costs, and refocus on its core mission. Above all, the Secretary-General must serve all Member States impartially and work to build a better future for all,” he said.

Keeping channels open

Sinirlioğlu noted that diplomacy remained “the most powerful tool for reducing tensions and managing risks in an environment marked by mistrust.”

“The United Nations was founded on a simple yet enduring truth: security cannot be built against one another. As hard as it may be, it must be built with one another. That principle has not changed, and our responsibility to uphold it has never been greater. In this regard, resolving today’s complex conflicts requires keeping channels of communication open, and reopening those that have been closed. Engaging with those with whom we disagree is not a concession but a responsibility. It is essential for avoiding misunderstandings and reducing the risk of miscalculation in today’s volatile security environment. The Secretary-General, through the exercise of the Organization’s good offices and preventive diplomacy, can bridge divides, build trust, and help achieve results both at the negotiating table and on the ground. Our objective should not simply be to manage crises, but to prevent them. To that end, the United Nations should strengthen its capacities for early warning, mediation, peacebuilding, and cooperation with regional partners in order to reduce human suffering and the enormous costs of war. At the same time, UN peacekeeping operations continue to serve the cause of peace by fostering stability, supporting peace agreements, and protecting civilians. Although they are not an end in themselves, these operations create the conditions necessary to sustain peace and must remain agile, effective, and responsive through continuous review and reform,” he said.

Türkiye’s nomination of Sinirlioğlu is intended to help overcome a deadlock in the selection process, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Saturday.

“Our goal is to provide a diplomatic contribution aimed at overcoming the impasse,” Fidan told Anadolu Agency (AA) and Turkish public broadcaster TRT.

In a letter dated Friday to the presidents of the General Assembly and the Security Council, Türkiye’s U.N. Ambassador Ahmet Yıldız transmitted President Erdoğan’s nomination letter, in line with the U.N. Charter and a General Assembly resolution.

Fidan said Ankara had been “closely monitoring” the selection process and anticipated that difficulties could emerge among the candidates, prompting Türkiye to consider putting forward its own nominee. He said the process had been underway for about a year, with several candidates from Latin America competing in line with the informal geographical rotation traditionally considered in selecting the U.N. chief. Türkiye respects the expectation that Latin America should have the opportunity to produce the next secretary-general, Fidan said, but added that the process had reached a stalemate.

He explained that the nomination of candidates from other regions when the selection process becomes deadlocked is not unprecedented in U.N. history.

Fidan said Türkiye decided to formally nominate Sinirlioğlu after the latest developments in the selection process, including voting involving the United Arab Emirates’ candidate Lana Nusseibeh.

He added that Türkiye had already agreed to put forward its candidate if certain conditions emerged during the selection process. “Once the deadlock became clear, we officially submitted our own candidate to the U.N. with a letter signed by our president,” he said.

He stressed that Ankara’s decision was not simply an attempt to enter the competition but rather an effort to contribute to resolving the impasse.

Fidan said Sinirlioğlu is an experienced career diplomat with extensive international experience, including his previous service as Türkiye’s U.N. ambassador.

Fidan stressed that Türkiye attaches great importance to multilateralism and the effective functioning of international organizations, particularly the U.N.

He said Erdoğan strongly supports a U.N. system that operates “genuinely and fairly,” adding that Türkiye will continue contributing to efforts to strengthen the organization.

“Türkiye will continue to do everything it can to contribute to this,” Fidan said, describing Sinirlioğlu’s nomination as one part of Ankara’s broader diplomatic efforts.

A candidate needs at least nine votes in the Security Council to secure the required support, while any of the five permanent members – the U.S., China, France, Russia and the U.K. – can block a candidate with a veto.

The eventual nominee must be appointed by the General Assembly, with that step generally considered a formality once the Security Council has reached an agreement. The term of Antonio Guterres, the current secretary-general, ends on Dec. 31.