Lee makes diplomatic debut on global stage at G7 summit

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday wrapped up his first overseas trip to Canada, where he attended the Group of Seven (G7) summit, making his diplomatic debut on the global stage with a flurry of bilateral summits with world leaders.

The bilateral summits by Lee, who took office on June 4, on the margins of the G7 summit showed that South Korea is back on track under new leadership to build rapport with world leaders.

Lee took office after winning the June 3 election, which was triggered by the ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed martial law bid in December.

The six-month leadership vacuum disrupted summit diplomacy at a time when the global economic and security landscape was rapidly changing, especially since U.S. President Donald Trump’s return to office in January.

From day one, Lee has faced a host of pressing challenges, including a slowing domestic economy, Trump’s sweeping tariff measures and North Korea’s deepening military ties with Russia.

Although initially hesitant to attend the G7 summit due to urgent domestic affairs, Lee ultimately chose to participate, viewing the gathering as an opportunity to demonstrate to the world that South Korea has overcome a democratic crisis and opened a new chapter.

“It was a meaningful opportunity to signal the restoration of the democracy of the Republic of Korea,” National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac told reporters Tuesday, referring to South Korea’s official name. “Most of the leaders President Lee met with highly praised our recovery of democracy following the recent domestic crisis.”

The G7 summit provided Lee with an early opportunity to engage with several G7 leaders and other invited heads of state to strengthen economic and diplomatic ties and present his vision for “pragmatic diplomacy.”

A much-anticipated meeting between Lee and Trump did not take place during the three-day visit, however, as Trump abruptly cut short his trip late Monday due to escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.

Lee’s office said it would push for a one-on-one meeting with Trump at an early date, hoping to inject momentum into ongoing working-level trade negotiations between Seoul and Washington before the 90-day pause on 25 percent “reciprocal” tariffs expires on July 9.

One potential opportunity for such a meeting could be the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit scheduled for June 24-25 in the Netherlands, if both leaders attend.

On Tuesday, Lee held his first summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, during which the two agreed to bolster three-way cooperation with the United States to respond to geopolitical crises, including North Korea.

He also met with leaders from Canada, Britain, Australia, South Africa, India, Brazil, India and Mexico, as well as United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and top European Union officials.

In an expanded G7 session, Lee outlined South Korea’s vision to build stable energy supply chains crucial to the development of the artificial intelligence sector.

Lee vowed to bolster summit diplomacy to support Korean businesses abroad and expand the country’s economic presence amid intensifying global competition.

“I believe South Korea, as a trading nation, must strengthen its international relations to help Korean companies enter the global market,” Lee told reporters en route to Canada. “In that regard, summit diplomacy should be elevated to a new level.”

Participation in the G7 was also seen as paving the way for further discussions on South Korea’s inclusion in the “G7 Plus,” amid growing calls for expanding the G7′s membership to make it more relevant today.

Lee signaled that South Korea will consider joining an expanded G7, saying he will pursue membership “if the opportunity arises.”