President Lee Jae-myung returned to South Korea on September 9 after completing a five-day state visit to France.
Accompanied by First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, President Lee boarded Air Force One at Orly International Airport in Paris and is expected to arrive back in Korea on September 10.
Before departing, President Lee held a meeting with Yael Braun-Pivet, the Speaker of the French National Assembly, and attended a luncheon with expatriates, as well as a meeting with Mathias Cormann, the Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
During his meeting with Braun-Pivet, President Lee emphasized the importance of reflecting the will of the people in politics, especially in a time when democracy is under threat globally.
At the expatriate luncheon, he explained the rationale behind his proactive diplomatic efforts since the beginning of his administration and pledged to incorporate the voices of overseas Koreans into national policy. He particularly noted, “My term is clearly limited by the constitution,” stressing the need to initiate diplomatic efforts early to fully leverage the benefits of economic and security cooperation.
In the afternoon, he met with OECD Secretary-General Cormann, highlighting that this year marks the 30th anniversary of South Korea's membership in the OECD. He stated that as South Korea has transitioned from a recipient of aid to a donor country, it should contribute more to the international community.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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