President Lee Jae-myung's Bilateral Meetings at G7 Summit in Canada

President Lee Jae-myung arrived in Calgary, Canada, on June 16, 2025, and immediately held a series of bilateral meetings with leaders from South Africa and Australia. During his afternoon meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, President Lee emphasized the strengthened cooperation between South Korea and South Africa since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, particularly in trade, investment, and energy sectors. President Ramaphosa extended an invitation for President Lee to attend the G20 summit in South Africa this November.

In a subsequent meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, President Lee noted South Korea's significant reliance on Australia for energy and resources, discussing resource diplomacy. He complimented Prime Minister Albanese, saying, "You sound much younger and more handsome than I expected from our recent phone call," to which Albanese responded, "You are very kind." The two leaders agreed to enhance communication and cooperation to achieve tangible progress on peace in the Korean Peninsula and the North Korean nuclear issue during their private discussions.

Later that evening, President Lee and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung attended a reception hosted by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and a welcoming dinner organized by Governor General Mary Simon. At the reception, President Lee reportedly exchanged views with President Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Albanese regarding tariff negotiations with the United States. A senior official from the presidential office mentioned that another topic of discussion was the resilience of democracy in South Korea, noting that the UN Secretary-General praised South Korea's democratic recovery, which resonated with President Ramaphosa due to their shared experiences in democratization.

First Lady Kim Hye-kyung drew attention by wearing a traditional hanbok, consisting of a light yellow skirt and a green jeogori, at the reception, which had a dress code of Western formal attire or traditional clothing. Many attendees requested photos with her, likely due to her traditional outfit.