Lee Jae-myeon, the newly elected president of South Korea, embarked on his first international trip this week for the G7 summit held in Alberta, Canada, on June 3rd.
Despite South Korea not being a member of the G7—comprising Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US—Lee received an invitation from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who hosted the summit. Lee engaged in bilateral discussions with Carney during his visit.
Lee aimed to meet with President Donald Trump, but Trump had to leave the summit early due to escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. Lee’s office expressed that he still hopes for a discussion with Trump about trade and tariffs during the upcoming NATO summit in the Netherlands scheduled for June 24th and 25th.
Lee assumed the presidency after a special election to succeed Yoon Sook-Yeol, who faced dismissal and subsequently took office amidst a turbulent political climate. Initially hesitant about attending the G7 so early in his presidency, Lee ultimately decided to go, believing it was important to project stability for South Korea.
“It was a significant opportunity to demonstrate the revival of South Korea’s democracy,” noted Lee’s national security adviser, Wi Sung-Lac, during a press briefing on Tuesday.
Lee also aimed to highlight South Korea’s desire to align more closely with the G7 and potentially join as an expanded member.
Historically, the G7 had expanded once in 1997, creating the “G8” with Russia as a member, which was later ousted after the annexation of Crimea seven years ago.
Russia has criticized the G7 as “boring and useless,” especially since its expulsion. Trump remarked during the summit that it was a mistake to exclude Russia, suggesting that keeping it in the group might have prevented its aggressive actions, like the invasion of Ukraine.
Some of Lee’s advisors back home believe he should focus on domestic issues rather than participating in the G7. Meanwhile, international observers criticized the lack of ambition in his attendance, especially since Trump left before their scheduled meeting.
Concerns linger that Lee, who is viewed as leaning towards friendly relations with China and North Korea, might appear too accommodating, particularly in light of Trump’s stance. Lee’s foreign policy experience has been limited, prompting him to recruit seasoned advisors, including Wi Sung-Lac, a former Russian ambassador to South Korea.
During the summit, Lee emphasized the need to address North Korea’s security concerns with other G7 leaders, including Japan’s Prime Minister Isba.
“Amid shifting global economic security dynamics, South Korea has played an active role in discussing current global affairs, clarifying its own vision and responsibilities,” Lee stated at the press conference.
One of the proposals Lee put forth was to establish South Korea as a key hub for artificial intelligence, supported by tax incentives and regulatory reforms along with significant investments from the private sector to facilitate a “national AI transformation.”
He informed G7 leaders that his administration plans to enhance South Korea’s energy infrastructure to meet the increasing power demands of AI while securing reliable sources of essential minerals required by the industry.
