President Lee to depart for G7 summit

[Anchor]

President Lee Jae-myung will depart tomorrow (Jun. 16) to attend the G7 summit.

This will be his diplomatic debut ont he global stage, less than two weeks after taking office.

Of particular interest is his meeting with President Trump, who holds significant influence over international affairs, from tariffs to the escalating crisis in the Middle East.

The first report is by Son Seo-young.

[Report]

President Lee Jae-myung will be embarking on a three-day trip as his first overseas trip.

He will attend the G7 summit in Canada as an invited guest.

This will place him on the international diplomatic stage just 12 days after his inauguration, which is quite fast compared to previous presidents.

[Wi Sung-lac/National Security Advisor: "It would be very timely for him to have a chance to build trust early on through face-to-face meetings with the leaders of major countries, just 10 days after taking office."]

The significance of attending the G7 lies in announcing the recovery of democracy in our country following the martial law situation, and restoring stalled summit diplomacy, as well as seeking solutions to pressing economic and trade issues such as tariffs.

On the first day, President Lee will have bilateral meetings with leaders on the margins of the event, and on the second day, he will attend expanded sessions to meet with the leaders of G7 countries.

He will also make two statements on the topics of diversifying energy supply chains and the connection between AI and energy.

Meetings with the United States and Japan are also being coordinated.

[Wi Sung-lak/National Security Office Director: "From the perspective of national interest and practicality, we will have the opportunity to strengthen friendly cooperation with major countries while making progress in discussions on issues such as trade and commerce."]

A senior official from the presidential office expressed hope that if the leaders meet, it will provide momentum for advancing practical negotiations on tariffs and other issues.

However, if a message to contain China emerges from the G7 summit, President Lee's pragmatic diplomacy may be put to the test immediately.

Establishing initial relations with Russia remains a challenging task, and preparations are underway for discussions, as Ukrainian President Zelensky may attend this G7 meeting.

Meanwhile, following the G7, it seems President Lee appears to be leaning towards attending the NATO summit scheduled for the end of this month.

KBS News, Son Seo-young.