President Lee Jae Myung to Pursue December Summit with Peru, a Member of the 'Shield of the Americas'

President Lee Jae Myung is pursuing his first summit with Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori since taking office in December. Peru recently joined the U.S.-led security cooperation body Shield of the Americas, raising attention over whether Lee, who has emphasized national-interest-centered pragmatic diplomacy and engagement with the Global South, will use the move as leverage to expand economic and security cooperation with Latin America in areas such as defense and critical minerals.
According to Financial News reporting on the 27th, the Blue House is coordinating a December summit between Lee and Fujimori. The two leaders had initially considered holding their first meeting in South Korea as Fujimori embarked on an Asian tour around the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, in November. However, the schedule is now understood to be under reconsideration, with the summit likely to take place around Lee's attendance at the Group of Twenty (G20) summit in Florida in mid-December.
The schedule adjustment has prompted speculation that Lee may be seeking to support the Trump administration's Shield of the Americas initiative. Fujimori, who won the presidential election in June and took office in July, officially announced Peru's entry into the Shield of the Americas earlier this month. Formed by the Trump administration in March this year, the Shield of the Americas is a multilateral security and military cooperation body that promotes information sharing and joint operations to combat transnational crimes such as drug trafficking. It also aligns with the U.S. strategy toward China aimed at countering extraregional powers, including China, in areas such as strategic minerals and broader economic security.
Peru's entry into the Shield of the Americas is expected to create a new variable for South Korean companies seeking to expand in Latin American markets. South Korean firms must compete with Japan in defense and with China in critical minerals, prompting calls for them to expand their foothold as the United States and Peru strengthen security and supply-chain cooperation. South Korean defense companies, including HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hyundai Rotem, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), and LIG Nex1, are already expanding their business with Peru's army, navy, and air force. However, experts say they should move beyond simple weapons exports and reconfigure equipment, surveillance and reconnaissance technologies, education and training, and financing into a comprehensive public security and crime-fighting package tailored to the Fujimori government's top priority of combating drugs, terrorism, and organized crime.
Differentiation from Japan will be crucial. Japan is also expanding its presence in Latin American markets through equipment donations and parts supplies, leading analysts to say that South Korea needs to distinguish itself through package-based cooperation tailored to local security needs.
Competition with China will be a key factor in critical minerals. In Peru, one of the world's major copper-producing countries, Chinese companies have expanded their influence by entering infrastructure projects, including major mines and ports.
[email protected] Song Ji-won Reporter