President Lee Jae-myung will depart on the 16th to attend the G7 summit in Canada. This will be his first diplomatic schedule since taking office, and the Presidential Office stated that he is currently coordinating bilateral meeting schedules with leaders of major countries. Korea will participate as an invited country, and on the second day, President Lee will attend the 'expanded session,' where he is expected to speak twice on the topics of diversifying energy supply chains and the connection between AI and energy.
◇Lee to speak on supply chains and AI with a focus on 'energy security'
National Security Office Deputy Minister Wi Seong-lak stated during a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 15th, "President Lee will embark on his first overseas trip for the G7 summit starting from the 16th, just over 10 days after taking office," and noted, "Canada has invited us, which shows that the G7 has high expectations for Korea, an economic power that demonstrates the resilience of democracy, and for the newly inaugurated government."
Deputy Minister Wi added that the significance of attending the G7 summit is that it will serve as the first stage to announce to the international community that "democratic Korea has returned," overcoming the crisis that had put Korean democracy at risk during the martial law crisis, and that it means resuming diplomatic engagement with major countries that drive the global economy to advance pragmatic diplomacy to protect our national interests amid significant changes in the global economic and security environment. He also mentioned that solutions to economic issues such as tariffs could be explored.
According to the Presidential Office, President Lee and his spouse will depart on the 16th and arrive in Calgary, Canada, that afternoon. The first agenda item is a bilateral meeting with the leaders of the invited countries at the G7 summit, followed by a planned official event hosted by the Canadian government that evening. The next day, they will move to Kananaskis to attend the expanded session of the G7 summit, which includes all G7 member countries and invited nations. The session, according to the Presidential Office, will be conducted with a working lunch on the topic of 'energy security.'
At the expanded session, President Lee is expected to speak twice on the topics of ▲ diversifying energy supply chains ▲ linking AI and energy. Deputy Minister Wi stated, "President Lee will present our efforts and vision for stabilizing energy systems and supply chains, and will explain Korea's role in building a stable global AI ecosystem and spreading the benefits of AI innovation as we enter the AI era."
◇Expectations for Korea-U.S. bilateral talks… Tariffs and countering China are pressing issues
A source at the Presidential Office noted regarding the bilateral meetings with G7 member and invited countries, "Countries such as the United States and Japan are also included," adding that "discussions are underway, and there is a positive approach. It is expected that we will hold bilateral meetings with about 7 to 8 countries." However, they also said, "Due to the volatility of multilateral meetings, we will provide additional information once confirmed." In particular, if there is a meeting with President Donald Trump, attention will be on whether advanced discussions will take place regarding tariff negotiations and defense cost-sharing issues.
Regarding the Korea-U.S.-Japan summit, it was stated, "We are open to it. We are coordinating a multilateral agenda," and about the possibility of a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, it was said, "It appears the Ukrainian president may attend the G7, and in that case, there may be an opportunity for President Lee to meet and have a conversation," adding, "Preparations in relation to this are being made."
The G7 is a group of seven Western nations leading the liberal international order, including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, and Canada. Korea, Australia, India, and Ukraine will participate as invited countries. As 'countering China' has been a major agenda item for several years, it is expected that the pressure to support the policy of countering China will increase during this meeting, led by the United States.
A source at the Presidential Office stated, "While we are trying to improve and manage our relations with China, there is a need to consult and adjust if there are differing views on trade or security issues," and added, "We will proceed by coordinating with the United States, our allies, or like-minded countries." Additionally, he noted, "As the president has stated, our focus will be on the Korea-U.S. alliance, Korea-Japan relations, and Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation," and emphasized, "We aim not to manage our relations with China or Russia adversely."