The leaders of South Korea and Turkey agreed to bolster the two countries' economic partnership and cooperation on the coronavirus during their phone talks Tuesday.

President Moon Jae-in and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, had the 35-minute conversation ahead of the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of Korean War, on June 25, in which Turkey fought for the South, leading to a "blood brother" relationship.

During the talks, Erdogan stressed the need for close economic cooperation between the two nations in response to COVID-19 and preparations for the post-coronavirus era, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok.

He expressed hope that South Korea's investment in Turkey and bilateral trade will further expand through the establishment of a payment and settlement system based on their own currencies, Kang said.

In particular, he emphasized the need for cooperation in the defense and shipbuilding industries. (Yonhap)