South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung arrives in Italy for meetings with President Mattarella and Prime Minister Meloni

South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung continued his ten‑day European tour by departing Belgium for Italy on 11 June. Before leaving Brussels he met Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and attended a summit with EU leaders European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Antonio Costa, agreeing to boost investment in batteries, advanced materials and energy, and to start talks on a bilateral cyber‑security pact. The president also condemned the “illegal military cooperation” between North Korea and Russia, urging both parties to halt such activities.

In Italy, Lee is scheduled to meet President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, followed by a two‑day visit to the Vatican to see Pope Francis. He will then travel to France to attend the G7 summit, where leaders such as US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are expected to gather.