President Lee Jae-myung embarked on his return home after completing a 9-night, 10-day tour of Europe and attending the Group of Seven (G7) summit.
On the 17th (local time), President Lee departed for Korea aboard Air Force One, the presidential jet, from Geneva International Airport in Switzerland. From Korea's side, Ambassador to Geneva Yoon Sung-mi and Ambassador to France Kwon Hyuk-woon, among others, and from Switzerland's side, Protocol Chief Villeter of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vice President Ben Salem of the Geneva State Governments, among others, saw off President Lee and the first lady.
President Lee began his first European tour for 10 days on the 9th. He first visited Brussels, Belgium, on the 9th–10th and held summits with Belgium and the European Union (EU). In the summit with Belgian Prime Minister De Wever, they discussed energy and advanced technology cooperation as priorities, and in the Korea-EU summit, they adopted a joint statement condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine and North Korea's nuclear development.
Next, President Lee paid a state visit to Italy on the 11th–13th. On the 11th, he attended a state dinner with President Sergio Mattarella; on the 12th, he held a summit with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and joined the Korea-Italy business roundtable; and on the 13th, he visited Florence, a small Italian city, carrying out the schedule in succession. To mark President Lee's state visit, Korea and Italy elevated their ties to a "special strategic partnership" and adopted the "2026–2030 Korea-Italy strategic action plan."
President Lee visited the Vatican on the 14th–15th. On the 14th, he attended a special Mass for peace and solidarity at St. Paul's Basilica and asked for the Holy See's support and interest for peace on the Korean Peninsula, and in the afternoon, he chaired a senior secretaries and aides meeting at the Blue House via video to oversee domestic affairs. On the 15th, he held a one-on-one meeting with Pope Leo XIV and invited the pope to visit Seoul next year on the occasion of World Youth Day.
On the 16th–17th, President Lee attended the G7 summit held in Evian, France. At the expanded sessions, he set out the government's vision on rebuilding international solidarity, sustainable growth, and challenges in the AI era, and he emphasized the international community's solidarity and cooperation on energy and critical mineral supplies after the Middle East war.
President Lee is scheduled to return to state affairs by chairing a senior secretaries and aides meeting at the Blue House on the 19th, the day after he returns.