South Korea and Mexico Modernize Investment Pact After Seven Years of Talks; Expand AI and Defense Cooperation

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum concluded a summit Saturday that modernized their bilateral Investment Protection Agreement after seven years of negotiations. The leaders adopted a 2026-2030 Joint Action Plan expanding cooperation into artificial intelligence, defense, aerospace, and digital transformation, with both nations preparing to chair international forums in 2028-2029. They also agreed to negotiate a Social Security Agreement addressing double pension burdens for dispatched workers and discussed leveraging K-pop and K-food popularity to deepen cultural exchanges.