Overview
- The presidential office announced on Friday that President Lee Jae Myung will travel to Europe from June 9-18 to meet Belgian and EU leaders, make a state visit to Italy, attend Mass and meet Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, and then join the G7 summit in Évian.
- In Brussels Lee will hold summit talks with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, King Philippe and EU chiefs including European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to deepen trade and diplomatic ties.
- Lee’s state visit to Italy, at President Sergio Mattarella’s invitation, will include a summit with Mattarella, talks with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and a visit to Florence aimed at expanding business links between Seoul and Italian firms.
- The Vatican stop includes a special Mass and a meeting with Pope Leo XIV where Lee plans to seek moral and diplomatic support for efforts to build peace on the Korean Peninsula and to coordinate on the 2027 World Youth Day in Seoul.
- Seoul frames the tour as strategic diplomacy to secure European market routes such as the Port of Antwerp-Bruges for South Korean companies, to consolidate a 'G7 Plus' profile as an outreach partner for a second consecutive year, and to lay groundwork for leadership at the 2028 G20.