President Lee Jae-myung, on a state visit to Italy, said the Italian Air Force's fighter escort flight was "a courtesy to the Republic of Korea and to the Korean people."

On the 11th (local time), on X (formerly Twitter), Lee said this in reply after a user shared a video of the escort flight and called it "a courtesy to President Lee Jae-myung."

The presidential jet carrying President Lee Jae-myung, on a state visit to Italy, and first lady Kim Hea-kyung receives an escort from Italian fighter jets on the 10th (local time). /Courtesy of News1

Lee went on to say, "I think it is respect for the best democratic nation, the most efficient country, a global cultural nation, and for the great Korean people who built such a country."

The video shows that when Air Force One carrying Lee entered Italian airspace, two Eurofighter jets of the Italian Air Force flew alongside in an escort formation.

Lee paid a state visit to Italy for the first time in 26 years. At the official welcome ceremony at the presidential palace in Rome that day, he reviewed the honor guard with President Sergio Mattarella.

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