·President Lee Jae Myung (right) and first lady Kim Hea Kyung greet officials and well-wishers from aboard the presidential aircraft at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on Tuesday before departing for a European tour, during which Lee will attend the Group of Seven summit and hold a series of bilateral meetings.
·(Yonhap) The president's Belgium stop comes as the two countries celebrate 125 years of ties, with BTS adding cultural spotlight President Lee Jae Myung departed for Europe on Tuesday for a 10-day diplomatic tour, with stops in Belgium, Italy and the Vatican before joining world leaders at the Group of Seven summit in France.
·South Korea and the European Union are seeking closer coordination on shared security challenges, including North Korea's deepening military cooperation with Russia, growing concerns over supply chain resilience and critical minerals, and mounting uncertainty stemming from geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.
·The visit is expected to provide an opportunity for the two sides to discuss strengthening defense cooperation and coordinate responses to broader issues such as energy security, economic coercion and the preservation of a rules-based international order.
·"I am embarking on my first visit to Europe since taking office," Lee wrote in a post on X Tuesday morning, adding that "the journey will be an opportunity to broaden the horizons of our cooperation and strengthen the foundations of Korea’s economy and diplomacy."…
