President Lee Jae-myung and Prime Minister Kim Min-seok exchanging greetings (Seongnam=Yonhap News) Reporter Han Sang-gyun = President Lee Jae-myung, who is departing to attend the Group of Seven (G7) Summit and for a European tour, is seen exchanging greetings with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who came to see him off, at Seongnam Seoul Airport on the 9th. 2026.6.9 xyz@yna.co.kr

President Lee Jae-myung departed from Seoul Airport on the 9th for Brussels, the capital of Belgium, marking the start of a ten-day European tour that includes attending the Group of Seven (G7) Summit.

The President boarded Air Force One at around 9 a.m. that day, dressed in a dark navy suit, accompanied by his wife, Kim Hye-kyung.

The send-off ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-joong, Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, and Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Ik-pyo.

Representative Chung Chin-sick of the Democratic Party, who typically attends every send-off ceremony, was absent. Floor Leader Han Byung-do also did not appear.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) before his departure, President Lee stated, "This is my first visit to Europe since taking office," and described it as a "journey to broaden the horizons of cooperation amidst a global complex crisis and further solidify the foundation of our economy and diplomacy."

Regarding Belgium, his first destination, he expressed anticipation, saying, "It is a hub of European logistics and boasts an ecosystem for the growth of innovative SMEs," adding, "With the first solo concert of BTS in Belgium scheduled for early next month, I believe cooperation connecting the future generations of both countries will deepen further."

In Belgium, President Lee will hold a summit with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and meet with King Philippe in the afternoon.

He will also hold summit talks with Charles Michel, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.

Following this, he will travel to Rome at the invitation of Italian President Sergio Mattarella to carry out state visit schedules.

During this period, summit meetings are scheduled with President Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, respectively. The itinerary also includes meetings with the Presidents of the Italian Senate and Chamber of Deputies, and laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

After concluding his engagements in Italy, he will visit the Vatican to attend a special Mass for peace and solidarity and meet with Pope Leo XIV to share messages of peace for the world and the Korean Peninsula.

Finally, President Lee will travel to Évian, France, to attend the G7 Summit held on the 16th-17th, participating in discussions among leaders on mitigating global imbalances and addressing issues related to artificial intelligence (AI).

This marks his second consecutive year attending the G7 meeting, following last year.

The strategy behind this tour is to fully pursue diplomacy with Europe based on the achievements of the past year and to solidify South Korea's standing as a globally responsible power. (Yonhap News)