Lee Jae-myung to Brief Public on Europe Trip Results, Including Expanded Economic Ties and North Korea Agenda

President Lee Jae-myung returned home on the 18th after completing his first European trip since taking office. The 10-day trip focused on expanding cooperation with Europe and putting the North Korea issue back on the diplomatic agenda at the Group of Seven (G7) summit. Lee asked U.S. President Donald Trump to play a role in the peaceful resolution of the North Korea issue, while also broadening the foundation for economic cooperation with Italy. The trip is being seen as a pragmatic diplomatic effort aimed at maximizing national interests by combining traditional security issues with economic priorities. Lee will personally explain the results of the trip at Chunchugwan, the press briefing room at Cheong Wa Dae, on the 19th.
Since the 9th, Lee has carried out a schedule that included an official visit to Belgium, a summit with the European Union (EU), a state visit to Italy, a visit to the Vatican, and attendance at the G7 summit. He sought to expand cooperation with key European partners in trade, security, supply chains, and multilateral diplomacy.
One of the most notable moments of the trip was the dialogue between South Korea and the United States on the sidelines of the G7 summit. Lee and Trump exchanged views on peace on the Korean Peninsula and bilateral ties during the official G7 welcome event and dinner. According to the Blue House, Trump asked about recent developments in inter-Korean relations, and Lee requested that he take the lead in pursuing a peaceful resolution to the North Korea issue. Trump was said to have expressed his intention to work toward resolving the issue.
After returning home, Lee said on X, formerly Twitter, that he had spoken with Trump for about 90 minutes about peace on the Korean Peninsula and U.S.-South Korea relations. Lee said, "There was a great deal of progress." He also revealed that Trump had suggested a golf outing for both couples and emphasized, "The U.S.-South Korea relationship is strong and eternal."
North Korea was also discussed in summit diplomacy with the EU. In a joint statement, South Korea and the EU condemned third-party support that enables Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, especially support from North Korea. They also condemned the illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. The two sides discussed issues including steel overcapacity and the carbon border adjustment mechanism, and the Blue House said it had conveyed South Korea's position on steel tariffs to the EU.
In the economic sphere, the state visit to Italy stood out as a major achievement. The two countries upgraded their relationship to a special strategic partnership and adopted a 2026-2030 Korea-Italy strategic action plan. They also exchanged memorandums of understanding in areas including small and medium-sized enterprises, small business owners, the social solidarity economy, advanced science and technology, information and communications technology (ICT), and development cooperation. They also discussed cooperation in advanced industries such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), defense, aerospace, energy, and biotechnology.
The removal of conditions that could have disadvantaged Korean companies under the super depreciation system was also cited as an example of improved business conditions. Lee said he had informed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in January that the system could affect Korean companies, and added that the Italian government and parliament responded swiftly.
During the Vatican visit, the message of peace on the Korean Peninsula was emphasized. Lee met with Pope Leo XIV and formally invited him to visit South Korea for World Youth Day Seoul 2027. At a special Mass, he referred to the significance of the June 15th North-South Joint Declaration and expressed his commitment to peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Kang Yoo-jung, senior presidential spokesperson at the Blue House, said Lee will personally brief the public at 2 p.m. on the 19th at Chunchugwan on the results and achievements of his official visit to Belgium, the summit with the EU, the state visit to Italy, and the G7 summit.
west@fnnews.com Seong Seok-woo, Choi Jong-geun Reporter