President Lee Departs for New York to Attend UN General Assembly, Presents Vision for Peace on the Korean Peninsula

UN Reform and Korea’s Contributions to Be Outlined in Keynote Address on September 22
Potential Meetings with Leaders Including Trump
Promoting Investment Opportunities to Wall Street
First State Visit to Mexico in 16 Years after New York Schedul

President Lee Jae-myung departed for New York, United States, on September 21 to attend the United Nations General Assembly high-level meeting. In his second address to the General Assembly since taking office, President Lee is expected to propose the need for UN reform and South Korea’s role in responding to challenges facing the international community, as well as present his vision for peace and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, departing for the UN General Assembly and a state visit to Mexico, greet the send-off crowd at the Air Force One at Seoul Airport in Seongnam on September 21, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

President Lee left for New York on the afternoon of September 21 from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam. The trip will last for seven days and five nights until September 27. President Lee will attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York and then make a state visit to Mexico. The departure ceremony was attended by Chief Presidential Secretary Kang Hoon-sik, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Ik-pyo, Kim Min-seok, Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Han Byung-do, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party, Yun Ho-jung, Minister of the Interior and Safety, Park Yun-ju, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Adrian Garcia, Chargé d’Affaires of Mexico, among others.

The main event during the United Nations General Assembly will be President Lee’s keynote speech in the afternoon of September 22 (local time). In the address, he plans to present directions for UN reform to tackle global issues and outline South Korea’s contributions. He is particularly expected to unveil the government’s roadmap for easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and transitioning toward peace and coexistence for the international community.

President Lee will also meet with UN Secretary-General António Guterres to request the UN’s attention and cooperation on peace for the Korean Peninsula. Taking the opportunity of the General Assembly, he will hold separate meetings in a flexible format with the leaders of major countries such as the United States and Australia. There is particular interest in whether a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump will take place. Should talks be held between the two leaders, discussions may include ongoing bilateral issues such as investment negotiations with the U.S. and the sharing of roles in the international community regarding the Strait of Hormuz. The Office of the President explained that rather than focusing on a specific summit format, various types of leader-level exchanges are being considered.

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung are departing for the UN General Assembly and a state visit to Mexico, moving by Air Force One at Seongnam Seoul Airport on the 21st. From the left: President Lee Jae-myung, First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, Secretary Kang Hoon-sik, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Ik-pyo. 2026.9.21 Yonhap News Photo by Yonhap

President Lee also has a schedule for economic diplomacy. He will participate in the "Korea Investment Summit 2026," where he will present the achievements of the Korean economy and the government’s economic policy directions to major investors on Wall Street. The agenda aims to attract more foreign investment and build trust in the Korean capital market.

After completing the schedule in New York, President Lee will make a state visit to Mexico at the invitation of President Claudia Sheinbaum. It will be the first state visit to Mexico by a Korean president in 16 years. Beginning with an official welcoming ceremony on September 24, President Lee will hold both one-on-one and expanded summits with President Sheinbaum to discuss ways to expand trade and investment, strengthen cooperation on energy and critical mineral supply chains, and collaborate on advanced industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital technology, aerospace, and defense. Cultural cooperation to provide a foundation for the expansion of K-content into Latin America will also be a key agenda item.

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