President Lee Embarks on Pragmatic Diplomacy with Series of Bilateral Talks in Gyeongju
President Lee Jae-myung Faces Test of Pragmatic Diplomacy with Series of Meetings with US, China, and Japan in Gyeongju
President Lee Jae-myung arrived in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, on the afternoon of October 28, 2025, the host city of the APEC summit, and immediately began his schedule of summit diplomacy. This visit to Gyeongju, taking place alongside the multilateral APEC summit, focuses on maximizing South Korea's national interests through a series of bilateral talks with key nations, and exploring practical cooperation for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. In particular, attention is focused on whether President Lee will be able to showcase the true nature of his 'pragmatic diplomacy,' which he has emphasized, through these consecutive talks. This approach, differentiated from past administrations, aims to pursue South Korea's tangible interests and play a leading role in complex international relations. In this context, the Gyeongju series of meetings is expected to be a crucial test of the Lee Jae-myung administration's diplomatic capabilities.
On October 29, 2025, President Lee Jae-myung will deliver a special address at the opening ceremony of the APEC CEO Summit, presenting South Korea's economic vision and innovative growth strategy. At this event, President Lee is expected to highlight South Korea's potential and future growth engines, and propose concrete measures to strengthen economic cooperation with APEC member countries. In particular, he is expected to express South Korea's active participation in addressing major global economic challenges such as digital transformation, climate change response, and supply chain stabilization, and call for international cooperation to achieve these goals. Furthermore, President Lee is expected to introduce South Korea's efforts to improve the business environment and its investment promotion policies, and request APEC member companies to increase their investment in South Korea. This special address at the CEO Summit is expected to enhance South Korea's external credibility and further solidify economic cooperation with APEC member countries. President Lee's speech is expected to play a crucial role in appealing to global economic leaders about the attractiveness of the South Korean economy and leading to tangible investment and cooperation.
The highlight of this series of meetings is the second summit between President Lee Jae-myung and US President Donald Trump, scheduled for October 29, 2025, in Gyeongju. President Trump will visit South Korea on this day to hold a summit with President Lee. The two leaders are expected to hold in-depth discussions on various issues, including strengthening the US-Korea alliance, cooperation to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, and expanding economic cooperation. In particular, regarding the North Korean nuclear issue, the two countries are expected to reaffirm their joint efforts for the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea, and explore ways to effectively implement sanctions against North Korea. In the economic field, they are expected to discuss mutually beneficial cooperation measures such as advanced technology cooperation, supply chain stabilization, and energy cooperation, and exchange views on creating an environment for expanding investment by companies from both countries. This US-Korea summit is expected to reaffirm the strength of the US-Korea alliance and promote shared interests. President Trump's visit to South Korea and the summit with President Lee are expected to be an important milestone for the future of the two countries' relationship.
President Lee Jae-myung is also scheduled to hold his first summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on November 1, 2025. At this US-China summit, a wide range of views on matters of mutual interest, such as the development of bilateral relations, peace on the Korean Peninsula, and economic cooperation, are expected to be exchanged. In particular, President Lee is expected to emphasize China's constructive role in building peace on the Korean Peninsula and request China's active cooperation in resolving the North Korean issue. In the economic field, he is expected to discuss practical cooperation measures such as expanding trade and investment between the two countries, promoting cultural exchanges, and exploring cooperative measures for global supply chain stabilization. This US-China summit is expected to further develop bilateral relations and contribute to peace and prosperity in the Northeast Asian region. Through his first meeting with President Xi Jinping, President Lee is expected to focus on opening a new chapter in US-China relations and building mutual trust. This meeting will be an opportunity to lay an important foundation for future cooperation between the two countries.
President Lee Jae-myung's series of meetings in Gyeongju is of significant importance in strengthening South Korea's diplomatic position and maximizing its national interests. Attention is focused on whether tangible results can be achieved in various fields, such as resolving the Korean Peninsula issue, strengthening economic cooperation, and regional stability, through summits with major countries such as the United States, China, and Japan. In particular, it is expected to be an important test of the feasibility of President Lee's emphasis on 'pragmatic diplomacy.' The outcome of this series of meetings is expected to have a significant impact on determining the future direction of South Korea's foreign policy. President Lee is expected to focus on enhancing South Korea's international standing and strengthening its global leadership through this summit. This series of meetings in Gyeongju is expected to be an important opportunity to open a new horizon for South Korean diplomacy.
