Trudeau in South Korea to talk global and energy security, youth mobility program

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in Seoul on Tuesday for his first official visit to South Korea as both countries try to build closer economic and cultural ties and work together on global security concerns.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in Seoul on Tuesday for his first official visit to South Korea as both countries try to build closer economic and cultural ties and work together on global security concerns.

"I don't think there was a time when Korea and Canada were so close as now, and I don't think we've had any period where our two leaders have met so frequently," Lim Woongsoon, South Korea's ambassador to Canada, said last week in an interview in Ottawa.

The visit by Trudeau, who is expected to remain in the country until Thursday before he heads to the G7 leaders' summit in Hiroshima, Japan, follows South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's trip to Ottawa last fall.

Since then, both countries have released their Indo-Pacific strategies. They provide a road map for strengthening military and economic relationships in the region to counterbalance the influence of China.

Tina Park, a lecturer at the University of Toronto and CEO of The Park Group, says the frequency of meetings between the leaders reflects their commitment to building a stronger relationship.

"There is a new momentum as we reflect upon the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relationship between Canada and Korea this year," Park wrote in an email.

South Korea is Canada's seventh-largest trading partner for both imports and exports, amounting to $16.7 billion in merchandise trade in 2021.