South Korean President Lee Jae Myung meets Belgian king and Italian president on European tour

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung began a ten‑day European tour on 9 June, arriving in Brussels where he was received by King Philippe. The meeting, held at the Royal Palace, highlighted the 125th anniversary of diplomatic ties between South Korea and Belgium and discussed expanding cooperation for Korean firms in the European market.

After concluding talks with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, Lee departed for Italy. In Rome, he and Italian President Sergio Mattarella signed a declaration to upgrade bilateral relations to a "special strategic partnership," covering semiconductors, artificial intelligence, defence, aerospace, energy and biotechnology. A business round‑table involving about 30 companies was slated to explore further opportunities. The leaders also pledged joint action on supply‑chain stability, energy security, and cooperation at the United Nations. Lee’s itinerary will continue to the Vatican and the G7 summit in France, where he will join other world leaders.