President Lee: "Korea may have a summit with the US before Japan... Xi Jinping will attend APEC"

[Financial News] President Lee Jaemyung reportedly forecasted that Xi Jinping, the Chinese President, "will attend" the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju this October. Regarding the nominee for Minister of Education, Lee Jinsook, he expressed an awkward stance, saying, "It is not someone I personally recommended."
On the 12th, Jeong Gyoojae, former chief editorial writer of Hankyung, stated in a phone call with Financial News that President Lee mentioned this during a luncheon meeting with Jeong and Cho Gapje, CEO of Cho Gapje.com, which lasted about 2 hours on the 11th.
President Lee commented on the possibility of Xi's attendance at APEC, saying, "I think he will come." Previously, the presidential office had conveyed a message to Xi during their first summit call last month, asking him to "attend APEC if possible." Xi responded that he would "consider it positively."
Regarding tariff negotiations with the United States, President Lee explained, "Japan is in an election phase, so it may be difficult for US-Japan trade negotiations to progress for the time being," and "Korea can proceed with negotiations with the US first."
During the luncheon, there were also remarks about the controversial nomination of Lee Jinsook for Minister of Education. President Lee clarified that he "did not personally choose" the nominee and expressed the practical difficulty, saying, "It is not easy to fill the numbers due to a lack of female talent pool."
Regarding the North Korean drone incident, it was understood that opinions were exchanged on the applicability of foreign exchange crimes to former President Yoon Seokyeol. President Lee reportedly reacted by questioning, "Does it meet the conspiracy requirement for foreign exchange crimes?" He did not express any direct intention to instruct or intervene in the investigation. However, it was also mentioned that he compared the legal principles, suggesting that treason might be more legally appropriate than foreign exchange crimes.
In the economic sector, there was a proposal to grant tax benefits related to gift and inheritance taxes solely for investment purposes. President Lee expressed sympathy for the need to improve the investment environment but refrained from commenting on specific institutional changes. Instead, he mentioned plans for direct contact with large corporations, emphasizing, "We will ease regulations so that companies can invest without hesitation."
Regarding proposals for nurturing military talent and improving educational culture, President Lee responded, "We will cultivate our military into a smart strong army."


west@fnnews.com Sung Seokwoo Reporter