Five major multilateral engagements in six months; Focus to shift to domestic agenda after return
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung departed for Türkiye on November 23 (local time) after concluding their schedule at the G20 Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Türkiye marks the final stop of the president’s Middle East–Africa tour. With this, President Lee has effectively wrapped up a packed year of multilateral diplomacy that included the G7, the UN General Assembly, APEC, the ASEAN Summit, and the G20 — all within just six months of taking office in June.
After completing visits to the UAE and Egypt, President Lee arrived in Johannesburg on the 21st and participated in all three official sessions of the G20 Summit from the 22nd to the 23rd. During the sessions, he proposed three key solutions to advance inclusive global growth: alleviating debt vulnerabilities among developing countries, restoring the functionality of the multilateral trading system, and enhancing the effectiveness of development cooperation. He also underscored Korea’s commitment to strengthening global climate action and contributing to the creation of a “Global AI Basic Society,” signaling active engagement in AI governance discussions.
On the sidelines of the summit, President Lee held bilateral meetings with the leaders of France and Germany, and separate talks with the leaders of India and Brazil. He also took part in a MIKTA meeting — a consultative platform of five middle-power countries led by Korea.
In Türkiye, President Lee is expected to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss ways to expand practical cooperation between the two countries, particularly in defense and nuclear energy. The visit concludes a 10-day, seven-nation trip that began on November 17.
Since taking office, President Lee has attended five major multilateral summits in rapid succession: the G7 Summit in Canada just two weeks after inauguration, followed by the UN General Assembly, the ASEAN Summit, the APEC Summit, and now the G20 Summit. Although a trilateral summit among Korea, China, and Japan is under discussion, the likelihood of it being held within the year is considered low.
According to the presidential office, Korea has regained a “normal diplomatic rhythm” in the international arena, with uncertainties stemming from last year's martial law controversy largely resolved through consistent multilateral engagement.
With major diplomatic commitments now completed, President Lee is expected to concentrate on domestic priorities upon his return, including judicial, economic, and social reforms, AI transition policies, and follow-up measures related to recent tariff negotiations.