Busy Schedule Immediately After Arrival:
Bilateral Meetings and Possibility of Korea-US and Korea-Japan Summits
President Lee Jaemyung arrived at Calgary Airport in Canada on the afternoon of the 16th (local time) to attend the Group of Seven (G7) Summit. Immediately after his arrival, President Lee is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with key leaders of the G7 summit's invited countries. There is also significant attention on whether he will have an opportunity to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss tariff issues during this summit.
In addition to the G7 member countries?the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, and Canada?the leaders of seven other countries, including Korea, Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico, South Africa, and Ukraine, have been invited as observers to this summit.
On the 17th, President Lee plans to attend an expanded session with both G7 members and invited countries, where he will deliver remarks on topics such as diversifying energy supply chains and linking artificial intelligence (AI) with energy. Kang Yoojung, spokesperson for the presidential office, explained regarding this trip, "President Lee will use this opportunity to build rapport with other world leaders and lay the groundwork for achieving tangible results on current issues, including trade." She added, "In particular, this will be a chance to showcase to the world the greatness of our people, who have overcome martial law and rebellion, and the strength of K-democracy."
Tariff Negotiations: "The challenge is to avoid being placed at a disadvantage compared to other countries"
Regarding tariff negotiations with the United States, President Lee stated that "the challenge is to ensure that we are not placed in a more disadvantageous position compared to other countries." He made these remarks during a press conference aboard the presidential plane en route to Canada, in response to a question about what he most wants to achieve in tariff negotiations with President Donald Trump. President Lee further said, "Diplomacy should not benefit only one side; it must produce mutually beneficial outcomes. Since there are various conditions, I will discuss them and do my best."
Regarding the decision to make an overseas trip just 12 days after taking office, President Lee said it was a difficult decision. He stated, "It is clearly a challenge to attend an international summit so soon after taking office," and added, "Given the many domestic issues, I initially considered not participating." However, President Lee explained, "There were opinions that it was necessary to show the international community that Korea has returned to normal, and since there are many areas where we can cooperate with the international community, many believed it would be better to engage, even if it is difficult. That is why I decided to participate."
President Lee also said he would make efforts for Korea to be included in the 'G7 Plus.' He stated, "Korea is one of the world's top 10 economic powers, a top 5 military power, and an advanced country culturally. Although there was a temporary setback, we must quickly restore our previous status and move forward as a leading nation in the world." He continued, "Naturally, summit diplomacy must become even more active than it is now. I have also instructed the National Security Advisor to further strengthen summit diplomacy to a higher level."
Additionally, President Lee emphasized, "The Lee Jaemyung administration places great importance on people's livelihoods and the economy," and said, "Developing international relations well will facilitate overseas expansion for our businesses, and in terms of expanding our economic territory, it is necessary to strengthen international cooperation in the cultural industry and new industrial sectors."
President Lee: "I hope my approval rating will be higher at the end of my term than at the start"
President Lee also commented on his approval rating, saying, "I hope it will be higher at the end of my term." During a press conference aboard the presidential plane, he was asked, "The results of the first week's approval rating survey have been released. What do you think? Do you have a target approval rating for the end of your term?" President Lee laughed, saying, "That's a difficult question," and then responded as above. He recalled, "It seems that my approval rating was higher at the end of my previous public offices than at the start. When I was governor of Gyeonggi Province, I started at the bottom nationwide, but finished at the top."
He continued, "Even during my time as mayor of Seongnam, the satisfaction rate with municipal administration was around 80% at the end. I intend to do my best. It's not just about superficial changes; the real lives of the people must improve. Setting a numerical target is meaningless. Ultimately, it is the people who will judge."
Meanwhile, according to a survey conducted by Realmeter at the request of Energy Economy News from the 9th to the 13th, targeting 2,507 men and women aged 18 or older nationwide, 58.6% of respondents said President Lee's performance during his first week in office was "good," while 34.2% said it was "poor." The survey was conducted using a 100% wireless automated response method. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level, and the response rate was 6.3%.
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