Lee Concludes First European Tour... Achieves Pragmatic Diplomacy Focused on National Interests in Defense Industry and AI

Returning Home Tomorrow After the G7 Summit

Discussions with Countries Supporting Free Trade and Multilateralism

Joint Statement and Digital Trade Agreement with the EU

Addressing Challenges for Korean Businesses and Exploring Entry i

President Lee Jae-myung will conclude his first European tour with the end of the Group of Seven (G7) summit held in Evian-les-Bains, France, on June 17 (local time). Unlike the first year of his presidency, which mainly focused on "restoring diplomacy," this trip is being assessed as an effort to lead global agendas directly related to national interests such as the defense industry, artificial intelligence (AI), and denuclearization.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the first session of the expanded meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) summit held on the 16th (local time) in Evian-les-Bains, France. 2026.6.17 Yonhap News Agency

On this day, President Lee is scheduled to attend the second session of the expanded G7 meeting and participate in a working luncheon as part of his remaining official events. The expanded session is a meeting attended by leaders from five countries, including Korea, which was invited by France as the host nation, as well as Brazil, India, Kenya, and Egypt. After completing the G7 schedule, President Lee is expected to return to Korea on June 18, Korean time.

During this European tour, President Lee engaged in discussions with countries that support free trade and multilateralism. The European Union (EU) is the world's largest trading bloc and has recently voiced concerns about growing protectionism. President Lee announced a joint summit statement with the EU containing 36 provisions and also secured an agreement on a digital trade pact. In addition, he visited Belgium and Italy for bilateral summits and held meetings with the leaders of Germany and Canada during the G7 summit.

Throughout this process, President Lee sought to address challenges faced by Korean companies and explored opportunities for their expansion into Europe. In the summit with the EU, he strongly requested favorable consideration for Korea to secure the largest possible volume of steel imports exempt from EU tariffs. The EU side responded by stating that it would reflect Korea's position as much as possible. During the meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, defense issues were discussed. Since Hanwha Ocean is bidding for Canada's next-generation submarine project, President Lee emphasized that Korea's defense capabilities could contribute to Canada's security.

President Lee Jae-myung is delivering a commemorative speech at the "Special Mass for Peace and Solidarity" held at St. Paul Outside the Walls Basilica in Rome, Italy, presided over by Cardinal You Heung-sik on June 14, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

President Lee also focused on communicating the Korean government's commitment to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and its vision for peace throughout the tour. Immediately following the EU summit, President Lee adopted a joint statement that clearly stated, "North Korea will never be recognized as a nuclear-armed state under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)." He also visited the Vatican, delivered a special address, and reiterated his commitment to improving inter-Korean relations. In particular, during a meeting with Pope Leo XIV, they agreed on the need for reconciliation and cooperation between the two Koreas. According to a Blue House official, the possibility of a papal visit to North Korea may also have been discussed at this meeting.

The much-anticipated meeting between President Lee and U.S. President Donald Trump, which had drawn attention even before the trip, took place briefly. On June 16, President Lee was seated next to President Trump at the official G7 dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and his spouse. During the dinner, President Lee asked President Trump to "lead the peaceful resolution of the North Korean issue, just as you helped resolve the war in the Middle East." President Trump reportedly responded that he would make efforts toward this goal. However, an official bilateral summit between President Lee and President Trump did not take place.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.