President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Ulaanbaatar on Thursday to begin a state visit that includes a bilateral summit with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh.
The trip marks the first state visit to Mongolia by a South Korean president in 15 years. Seoul seeks to strengthen cooperation with the resource-rich country in supply chains, including those involving rare earths.
On the first day of his three-day visit, Lee will hold a summit with the Mongolian president. The two leaders are expected to declare a "golden era" of bilateral ties and present a shared vision for future cooperation. Lee will also attend a business forum aimed at exploring new areas of cooperation.
On Saturday, the South Korean president will attend the opening ceremony of this year's Naadam Festival as a special guest before heading home. Mongolia is the second leg of Lee's two-nation trip, following his attendance at the two-day North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Ankara earlier this week.