President Lee Jae-myung will visit Türkiye on the 7th and 8th to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit. After that, from the 9th to the 11th, he will make a state visit to Mongolia, North Korea's second country to establish diplomatic relations, to explore ways to resume inter-Korean dialogue.
Wi Sung-lac, chief of the Office of National Security, stated accordingly on the afternoon of the 3rd at the Blue House while outlining President Lee's summit diplomacy schedule.
At the invitation of NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, President Lee will attend the NATO summit to be held in Ankara, Türkiye, on the 7th and 8th. Deputy Minister Wi explained that this is meaningful as it promotes defense industry cooperation with NATO allies, the world's largest defense market.
After arriving in Ankara, President Lee, together with Secretary-General Rutte, will hold a small-group meeting with the Indo-Pacific partner countries—Japan, Australia, and New Zealand—known as the "IP4." He will then attend the NATO Defense Industry Forum, an official summit event, and deliver keynote remarks in a session on the theme "Shared values, a stronger industrial base." He will also attend an official welcome dinner hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Deputy Minister Wi said, "On the 8th, we are prioritizing countries with significant practical cooperation needs, including in the defense sector, to coordinate times for bilateral meetings," and added, "We will directly promote the excellence of K-defense and its rapid procurement capabilities to NATO allies and partner countries, and will open cooperation pathways toward a 'leap to become one of the world's top four defense exporters.'"
The state visit to Mongolia was arranged at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh. It has been 15 years since a South Korean president made a state visit to Mongolia. After their talks, the two leaders are also expected to issue a "golden era of Korea-Mongolia relations" declaration outlining a future vision for bilateral ties.
On the evening of the 9th, the "Korea-Mongolia Business Forum," attended by the two governments and corporate figures, will be held, and President Lee is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech. On the 10th, President Lee will visit the memorial hall of independence activist Lee Tae-joon, who supported the independence movement in Mongolia, and then hold a luncheon meeting with Korean residents. On the 11th, he will attend the opening ceremony of "Naadam," Mongolia's biggest holiday, with President Khurelsukh.
Deputy Minister Wi said, "Mongolia, North Korea's second country to establish diplomatic relations after the former Soviet Union, has maintained a traditional friendly relationship with North Korea," and noted, "While the two leaders discuss peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, ways to ease tensions and build trust in the region, they will explore a resumption of dialogue with North Korea."