Korea and Brazil: "Let's Further Develop Our Comprehensive Cooperative Partnership"
President Lula Shows Interest in President Lee's Childhood Story of Arm Injury as a Child Laborer
Korea and India: "We Must Elevate Bilateral Relations to a New Level"
Korea and Mexico: "10th Anniversary of 'Special Strategic Partnership,' Strengthening Bilateral Ties"
Prime Minister of the UK and UN Secretary-General Share Commitment to Strengthening Cooperation
President Lee Jaemyung continued his participation in the Group of Seven (G7) summit on the morning of the 17th (local time), the second day of the summit. President Lee held a series of meetings or talks with the leaders of Brazil, the United Nations (UN), Mexico, India, the United Kingdom, and the European Union (EU). With these meetings, he completed face-to-face talks with all five G7 invited countries except Ukraine. Including the meetings held the previous day with the leaders of South Africa and Australia, President Lee has now held face-to-face meetings with the leaders of a total of eight countries.
According to the presidential office, President Lee's first official event of the day was a summit with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, where he expressed his intention to expand economic cooperation with Brazil, South America's largest trading and investment partner. The two leaders also reaffirmed the need for cooperation on global issues such as climate change and agreed to expand collaboration on the international stage. President Lula invited President Lee to the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which Brazil will host. Furthermore, based on their shared philosophy of emphasizing national unity and pragmatism, the two leaders agreed to further develop a comprehensive cooperative partnership between Korea and Brazil, taking this summit?the first in ten years between the two countries?as an opportunity.
During the summit with President Lula, the two leaders' experiences of growing up in poverty drew attention. Spokesperson Kang Yujeong stated in a written briefing, "President Lee empathized with President Lula by mentioning their shared experiences of overcoming hardship and political persecution in their impoverished childhoods, ultimately achieving success." Kang added, "When President Lee shared an anecdote about injuring his arm in a press machine while working as a child laborer, President Lula showed deep interest and asked how old he was at the time."
President Lee also met with the leaders of India and Mexico and agreed to strengthen economic cooperation with both countries. In a summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Lee noted the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries' "Special Strategic Partnership" and said, "I look forward to elevating our bilateral relationship to a new level through strategic cooperation and deepening ties across all fields." He expressed hope for further activating high-level communication, expanding mutually beneficial economic cooperation, enhancing strategic cooperation in key technologies, defense, and the defense industry, as well as strengthening cultural exchanges, all to advance bilateral relations to a new level.
During the summit with Prime Minister Modi, their economically difficult childhoods also became a topic of conversation. Spokesperson Kang said, "Prime Minister Modi and President Lee shared a sense of empathy, noting that both were born into socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and rose to become leaders of their respective countries." Kang continued, "Prime Minister Modi recalled his visit to Korea 25 years ago, and President Lee mentioned his great fondness for Indian films." Kang also added, "Prime Minister Modi expressed his deep affection for Korea by referencing Princess Heo Hwang-ok from Ayodhya, India, who married King Kim Suro of Gaya 2,000 years ago, and the Gimhae Heo clan, which bears her surname."
In his summit with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, President Lee said, "Mexico was the first country in Latin America to establish a strategic partnership with Korea and is our largest trading partner in the region," adding, "Let us work together to strengthen bilateral relations, including economic cooperation." During the meeting, the two leaders also discussed President Sheinbaum's high approval ratings. Spokesperson Kang reported, "When President Lee asked President Sheinbaum about the secret to her high approval ratings, President Sheinbaum replied that she spends three to four days a week meeting directly with citizens and continues to hold discussions with opposition parties." Kang added, "President Lee also inquired about the progress of tariff negotiations between Mexico and the United States."
Additionally, in a summit with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President Lee stated, "I believe more progress needs to be made on revising the Free Trade Agreement (FTA)," and added, "I hope this will be a good opportunity to further strengthen the existing cooperative relationship between the UK and Korea." In his meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, President Lee emphasized the importance of international solidarity centered on the UN in an era of complex crises. He also stated, "The Korean government will provide the necessary support and play its role so that the UN can contribute to international peace and prosperity."
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