President Lee Jae-myung Arrives in Canada… Begins G7 Summit Diplomacy

President Lee Jae-myung arrived in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on the 16th (local time), where the Group of Seven (G7) Summit is being held. The G7 Summit will take place in Kananaskis, a resort town located about 100 km from Calgary. President Lee is participating in the G7 Summit's expanded session and other events as an observer, having been invited by Canada, the G7 Summit's chair country.

On Air Force One to Canada that day, President Lee told reporters, "Honestly, since it's only been a few days since I took office, it is clear that attending an international conference is quite a challenge," adding, "Nevertheless, there was an opinion that it is necessary to demonstrate to the international community that the Republic of Korea has been swiftly normalized." He stated, "There are many areas where we need to cooperate with the international community in the future, and although it may be a bit of a stretch, many thought it would be better to participate early, so I joined suddenly, contrary to my initial plan."

During this G7 Summit, President Lee may hold summit meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru. The presidential office stated, regarding the possible South Korea-U.S. and South Korea-Japan summits, that "coordination is underway."

President Lee remarked, "Summit diplomacy needs to be conducted more proactively than ever before," adding, "I think there is a need to intensify it to a higher level than before." He continued, "As international competition becomes fiercer going forward, especially since the Lee Jae-myung administration places great importance on the livelihoods of the people and the economy, it is essential for the Republic of Korea, as a trading nation, to advance international relations so that Korean companies can enter overseas markets more easily."

He further explained, "In terms of expanding our economic territory, this means not only geographically but also expanding in substance—for example, strengthening international cooperation in the cultural industry and other new industrial sectors," and added, "Therefore, I plan to strengthen international cooperation, including summit diplomacy, at a higher level than before."

Greeting on behalf of Canada that day were Sébastien Carrière, Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eleanor Olzanski, Minister of Disaster Management, and Ambassador Lim Woong-soon to Canada and his spouse. Ambassador Lim was recently appointed as Second Deputy Director of the National Security Office.

Calgary = Jaeyoung Han, jyhan@hankyung.com