South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will embark on a 10-day [1] European tour starting June 9 to attend the G7 summit in France [2].
This diplomatic mission serves as a critical opportunity for South Korea to strengthen its ties with Western allies. By engaging with G7 leaders and European heads of state, Lee aims to secure economic cooperation and align security strategies during a period of global volatility.
The itinerary spans from June 9 to June 18, 2026 [3]. The president is scheduled to visit four locations: Belgium, Italy, the Holy See, and Évian-les-Bains, France [4]. The primary objective of the tour is to represent South Korea at the G7 summit, where the president will hold bilateral talks on economic cooperation and security [5].
"President Lee will travel to Europe this month to take part in the G7 summit," a senior presidential official said Friday [6].
The visit to France is the centerpiece of the trip, as the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains provides a platform for high-level multilateral coordination. In addition to the summit, Lee's stops in Italy and the Holy See are expected to focus on diplomatic relations and regional stability, priorities that have defined his administration's foreign policy.
Reports indicate that the president departed from Seoul Airport accompanied by his wife, Kim Hye-kyung [7]. The delegation's focus remains on leveraging these meetings to enhance South Korea's influence within the G7 framework, despite not being a permanent member of the group.
The 10-day [1] schedule is designed to maximize face-to-face interactions with European leaders to address shared economic challenges and security threats [5].
“President Lee Jae Myung will embark on a 10-day European tour starting June 9 to attend the G7 summit in France.”
South Korea's participation in the G7 summit and its accompanying European tour signals a strategic pivot toward deeper integration with the West's economic and security architecture. By coordinating with the G7 and visiting key European hubs, Seoul is positioning itself as a pivotal global partner capable of bridging Asian security concerns with European economic interests.
