UNJournal Jon Lee | President Lee Jae-myung hosted a luncheon meeting with leaders of South Korea’s major religious denominations at Cheong Wa Dae (The Blue House) today at noon to mark the New Year of 2026. Under the theme "Toward National Unity with Religion," the meeting brought together leaders from seven major religious groups—Buddhism, Protestantism, Catholicism, Won Buddhism, Confucianism, Cheondogyo, and Korean Native Religions—to seek wisdom on overcoming social divisions. In his opening remarks, President Lee stated, "National unity is the President's most paramount duty, yet there a
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung held a summit with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkiye on Nov. 24. A nuclear power cooperation between Korea and Turkiye was included at the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed at the South Korea-Turkey summit, the Office of the President announced. The scope of cooperation included reactor technology, site assessment, regulations and licensing, financing and business models, and nuclear power plant project implementation. To this end, the two sides agreed to establish a joint working group, share information, experience, know-how,
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung, on a Middle East and Africa tour, held a dinner meeting with Korean compatriots in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 17 (local time) to encourage Korean nationals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Approximately 150 people attended this meeting, including representatives of compatriot organizations, businesspeople, members of the Advisory Council for Democratic Peaceful Reunification, Korean language school officials, cultural and artistic figures, and employees of international organizations. Jang Kwang-deok, President of the Korean Association in the UAE,
By UN Journal Kayla Lee President Lee Jae-myung held a dinner-and-meeting with Koreans in Malaysia on October 26, titled "A New History We Write Together, the Real Republic of Korea," in Kuala Lumpur, Indonesia, and offered words of encouragement to Koreans living there. The meeting, part of President Lee's visit to Malaysia for the ASEAN Summit, was attended by approximately 200 people from various walks of life, including representatives of Korean community organizations, businesspeople, Korean language school officials, artists, and international organizations. In his congratulatory remarks
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung met with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sept. 23 and asked for the U.N.'s support for South Korea's initiative to achieve North Korea's denuclearization through dialogue, the Presidential office said. Their meeting took place after President Lee declared at the UN that "South Korea will fulfill its responsibility and role to end the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula and contribute to global peace and prosperity through the 'E (Exchange), N (Normalization), and D (Denuclearization) Initiative." President Lee stated, “Peace and secur
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung will visit New York, USA, from Sept. 22 to 26 to attend the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. On his first day of arrival, President Lee is scheduled to meet with Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, the world's largest asset management firm. During this meeting, they will discuss cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI) and energy transition. Subsequently, the President will meet with a delegation of U.S. House and Senate members and hold a meeting with Korean nationals. On the following day, the 23rd, President Lee will deliver a keynote
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung met with Professor Michael Sandel of Harvard University, author of “"Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?" in his office on September 18. President Lee, who had previously engaged in a video discussion with Professor Sandel on ‘Justice and Fairness’ during his 2021 presidential campaign, met with him again after about four years to exchange views on ‘Democracy and Peaceful Coexistence’. President Lee emphasized that Professor Sandel's concepts of a just society and peace dividends hold particular significance for the Korean people, noting t
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung said on September 11, “In keeping with my promise to become a ‘President for All’ who embraces and serves every citizen, I will move forward with politics and administration of unity.” During a press conference marking his 100th day in office held at the Blue House State Guest House, President Lee pledged, “From today until the final day of my term, I will devote myself entirely to building a ‘nation where the people are the masters, a Republic of Korea where we are all happy together.’” President Lee reflected, “It has already been 100 days
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung held a summit with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, To Lam, the top official in the Vietnamese government, at the Presidential Office in Yongsan on Aug. 11, 2025. The two leaders adopted the "Joint Statement on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between South Korea and Vietnam," which aims to foster future-oriented cooperation between the two countries. This marks the first visit by a Vietnamese leader to South Korea in 11 years, since 2014, and the first foreign guest and state guest since the new administr
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung, who arrived in Canada to attend the G7 summit, held consecutive meetings with the South African president and Australian prime minister. President Lee Jae-myung held a summit meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at around 2:40 p.m. of June 16 (local time). South Africa was invited to the G7 summit as an observer country, along with South Korea, India, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and Ukraine. President Lee then held a summit meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a hotel in Calgary, Canada, at around 3:30 p.