South Korean President to visit Europe for G7 summit, Vatican meeting
· UPIJune 5 (Asia Today) -- South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will visit Europe from Tuesday through June 18 to attend the Group of Seven summit in Évian, France, and hold meetings with European leaders and Pope Leo XIV, the presidential office said Friday.
Lee's trip to Belgium, Italy and France is intended to support South Korean companies' market expansion in Europe and strengthen cooperation with European partners on security, energy and critical mineral supply chains amid global uncertainty, including the Middle East war, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said.
Lee will begin the trip in Brussels, where he is scheduled to meet Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he will hold talks with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Lee will make a state visit to Italy from June 12-13 at the invitation of Italian President Sergio Mattarella. He will meet Mattarella in Rome and hold separate official talks with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Lee is also scheduled to visit Florence as part of the Italian state visit program. He will attend a South Korea-Italy business roundtable to support corporate exchanges between the two countries.
Lee will visit the Vatican on June 14 and attend a special Mass for peace and solidarity at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. He is scheduled to meet Pope Leo XIV the next day.
Lee will then attend the G7 summit in Évian from June 16-17. France is hosting the summit from June 15-17, according to the French presidency and European Council.
Wi described the EU portion of Lee's trip as "the full-scale launch of our diplomacy toward Europe."
"The EU, with a population of 450 million, 27 member states and gross domestic product of 18 trillion euros, is the world's largest trading bloc and South Korea's third-largest trading partner," Wi said. "The EU, which shares values with us such as a rules-based multilateral international order, democracy and a market economy, is an essential partner as South Korea seeks to become a G7-plus diplomatic power."
Wi said the trip is expected to strengthen economic diplomacy for South Korean companies entering Europe and expand the scope of security cooperation.
"Because the trade policy of the EU's 27 member states is set by the EU, not by individual member states, we will use the summit talks with the EU to broaden export channels for our companies and create a better environment for South Korean firms operating in Europe," Wi said.
Wi said Seoul also plans to build on the security and defense partnership adopted by South Korea and the EU in 2024 by expanding intelligence sharing and strengthening cooperation against transnational crimes, including drugs and terrorism.
On Lee's Vatican visit, Wi said it will be an opportunity to reaffirm the Holy See's continued support and interest in peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Wi said South Korea's second consecutive attendance at a G7 summit is expected to strengthen its status as a "G7-plus globally responsible power."
He said Seoul will take part in G7 efforts to address global vulnerabilities, including economic imbalances, critical minerals, digital issues and drugs, while continuing to lead cooperation on related agendas as host of the Group of 20 summit in 2028.
It remains unclear whether Lee will hold a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit.
A senior presidential official said Seoul is in talks with Washington but that nothing specific has been agreed.
"We plan to hold a bilateral meeting on the occasion of the G7 summit if possible," the official said. "We first need to determine whether President Trump will attend. If there is an opportunity, we may pursue it, but as of now, nothing specific has been agreed."
Trump said this week he plans to attend the G7 summit in France.
-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260605010001866