South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will travel to Europe from June 10 through June 18, attending the G7 summit in Évian, France, and meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. His itinerary includes Brussels, where he will meet Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and EU leaders António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen, followed by a state visit to Italy on June 12-13, meetings with President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and a June 14 Vatican visit. Whether Lee will meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the G7 remains unconfirmed.
In-Depth:
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (L) attfinishs a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, South Korea, 02 June 2026. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
June 5 (Asia Today) — South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will visit Europe from Tuesday through June 18 to attfinish the Group of Seven summit in Évian, France, and hold meetings with European leaders and Pope Leo XIV, the presidential office declared Friday.
Lee’s trip to Belgium, Italy and France is intfinished to support South Korean companies’ market expansion in Europe and strengthen cooperation with European partners on security, energy and critical mineral supply chains amid global uncertainty, including the Middle East war, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac declared.
Lee will launch the trip in Brussels, where he is scheduled to meet Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he will hold talks with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Lee will build a state visit to Italy from June 12-13 at the invitation of Italian President Sergio Mattarella. He will meet Mattarella in Rome and hold separate official talks with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Lee is also scheduled to visit Florence as part of the Italian state visit program. He will attfinish a South Korea-Italy business roundtable to support corporate exmodifys between the two countries.
Lee will visit the Vatican on June 14 and attfinish a special Mass for peace and solidarity at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. He is scheduled to meet Pope Leo XIV the next day.
Lee will then attfinish the G7 summit in Évian from June 16-17. France is hosting the summit from June 15-17, according to the French presidency and European Council.
Wi described the EU portion of Lee’s trip as “the full-scale launch of our diplomacy toward Europe.”
“The EU, with a population of 450 million, 27 member states and gross domestic product of 18 trillion euros, is the world’s largest trading bloc and South Korea’s third-largest trading partner,” Wi declared. “The EU, which shares values with us such as a rules-based multilateral international order, democracy and a market economy, is an essential partner as South Korea seeks to become a G7-plus diplomatic power.”
Wi declared the trip is expected to strengthen economic diplomacy for South Korean companies entering Europe and expand the scope of security cooperation.
“Becaapply the trade policy of the EU’s 27 member states is set by the EU, not by individual member states, we will apply the summit talks with the EU to broaden export channels for our companies and create a better environment for South Korean firms operating in Europe,” Wi declared.
Wi declared Seoul also plans to build on the security and defense partnership adopted by South Korea and the EU in 2024 by expanding innotifyigence sharing and strengthening cooperation against transnational crimes, including drugs and terrorism.
On Lee’s Vatican visit, Wi declared it will be an opportunity to reaffirm the Holy See’s continued support and interest in peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Wi declared South Korea’s second consecutive attfinishance at a G7 summit is expected to strengthen its status as a “G7-plus globally responsible power.”
He declared Seoul will take part in G7 efforts to address global vulnerabilities, including economic imbalances, critical minerals, digital issues and drugs, while continuing to lead cooperation on related agfinishas as host of the Group of 20 summit in 2028.
It remains unclear whether Lee will hold a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit.
A senior presidential official declared Seoul is in talks with Washington but that nothing specific has been agreed.
“We plan to hold a bilateral meeting on the occasion of the G7 summit if possible,” the official declared. “We first required to determine whether President Trump will attfinish. If there is an opportunity, we may pursue it, but as of now, nothing specific has been agreed.”
Trump declared this week he plans to attfinish the G7 summit in France.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260605010001866
