President Lee Departs on 17th for G20 Summit and 10-Day, 4-Nation Tour

Signing Defense MOU in the UAE
Announcing "Middle East Initiative" at Cairo University in Egypt
Discussing AI at the G20 Summit in South Africa
"Summit to Be Held in Korea in 2028"

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, embarking on a tour of four countries including the UAE, Egypt, and Turkey following the G20 Summit, are greeting as they board Air Force One at Seongnam Seoul Airport on the 17th. Photo by Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung departed on the 17th for a 10-day, 7-night tour of four countries. Having concluded bilateral diplomacy with the United States on issues such as customs and security, President Lee is now embarking on his final multilateral diplomatic mission of the year. The goal is to expand diplomatic relations to Africa and the Middle East, and to strengthen cooperation in strategic sectors such as defense industry, artificial intelligence (AI), and semiconductors.

President Lee and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung departed for Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), aboard Air Force One from Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province at 9 a.m. on the same day, to attend the Group of Twenty (G20) Summit and other events. President Lee wore a black suit with a brown tie, while First Lady Kim followed him in a sky-blue checkered skirt suit. At the airport, Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-joong, Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae, and floor leader Kim Byung-ki, among others, saw them off.

During the state visit to the UAE, the first official event will be a visit to the local national cemetery and the mausoleum of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding president of the UAE. In the evening, President Lee will attend a dinner with overseas Koreans and local business representatives. The following day will feature an official welcome ceremony, a Korea-UAE summit, and a state luncheon. On the final day of the UAE visit, November 19, there will be a business roundtable attended by business leaders from both countries and a meeting with members of the Akh Unit.

In particular, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) is expected to be signed with the UAE. The MOU will include provisions on defense industry cooperation, AI collaboration, and civilian exchanges.

Wi Sung-rak, Director of National Security at the Presidential Office, explained, "The UAE is our key partner in the Middle East and the only country in the region with which we have established a special strategic partnership. Through this visit, which marks the first visit to a Middle Eastern country since the launch of the new administration, we aim to further strengthen Korea-UAE relations not only in the four core areas of investment, defense and defense industry, nuclear power, and energy, but also in advanced technology, healthcare, and culture."

Diversifying Diplomacy Toward Africa and the Middle East... Strengthening AI Cooperation

After completing the UAE schedule, President Lee will move to Egypt on November 19. The Egypt visit will officially begin on November 20 with a welcome ceremony, a Korea-Egypt summit, and an official luncheon. That afternoon, President Lee will deliver a speech at Cairo University, outlining the Korean government’s vision for the Middle East.

President Lee will then travel to Johannesburg, South Africa, to attend the G20 Summit from November 21 to 23. This G20 Summit is the first to be held in Africa and will focus on "Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability." President Lee will participate in sessions discussing inclusive sustainable growth, disaster risk reduction, climate change, critical minerals, jobs, and AI. On November 23, he will also host a meeting with the local Korean community in South Africa.

Director Wi stated, "In 2028, which marks the 20th anniversary of the G20 Summit, our government plans to host the G20 Summit in Korea. By assuming the G20 presidency, the highest-level international economic cooperation forum, we will reaffirm Korea’s elevated status and take the lead in restoring solidarity and cooperation within the international community."

President Lee will visit Turkey as a state guest on November 24. The visit will begin with a trip to the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of Turkey, followed by a Korea-Turkey summit and a state dinner. On November 25, President Lee will lay a wreath at the Korean War Memorial and conclude the tour with a luncheon meeting with overseas Koreans and local business representatives in the afternoon.

The Presidential Office expects this tour, following Korea’s participation in the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in June and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Gyeongju last month, to serve as a clear signal of Korea’s successful return to the multilateral diplomatic stage after overcoming the 12·3 Martial Law era. The administration also aims to achieve tangible cooperation results in fields such as AI and to broaden the diplomatic horizon to the 'Global South'-the developing countries of the Southern Hemisphere.