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(Seoul=Yonhap Infomax) Ji Seo Jeong – President Lee Jae-myung will depart for South Africa on November 21 to attend the G20 Summit, marking the third leg of his 10-day tour of the Middle East and Africa, following visits to the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
During his three-day stay in South Africa, President Lee is scheduled to participate in the G20 Summit and hold consecutive bilateral meetings with the leaders of France and Germany.
The G20 Summit, held under the theme of "Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability," will see President Lee join three key sessions alongside global leaders. The G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation, comprising the Group of Seven (G7), BRICS, MIKTA member states, as well as Saudi Arabia, Argentina, the European Union, and the African Union, totaling 21 members.
Notably, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to be absent from this year’s summit.
On November 22, President Lee will participate in the first session, focusing on "Inclusive and Sustainable Growth That Leaves No One Behind," where discussions will center on economic growth, trade, and development financing.
The second session, scheduled for the afternoon of the same day, will address "A Resilient World," with topics including disaster risk reduction and climate change response.
On November 23, the final day of the G20 Summit, President Lee will join discussions on "A Fair Future for All," covering critical minerals, quality jobs, and artificial intelligence.
President Lee aims to promote the global AI governance framework he proposed at the recent APEC Summit in Gyeongju, as well as South Korea’s vision for recovery and growth. He also plans to introduce the government’s ongoing fiscal and climate policies to lead international discourse.
For the first time during this summit, President Lee will hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of France and Germany. A previously scheduled summit with France during the UN General Assembly in September was canceled due to circumstances on the French side.
At a briefing held at the Korea Press Center in Cairo on November 20, National Security Office Director Wi Sung-rak stated, "With France set to assume the G7 presidency next year, we expect to discuss international affairs and various economic security issues in depth. Germany, South Korea’s largest trading partner in Europe and a manufacturing powerhouse, will focus on strengthening economic cooperation in response to changes in the global economic order."
The summit with France is expected to cover economic security topics such as aviation, nuclear energy, transportation, innovation sectors including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, space, and the stabilization of core material supply chains.
Talks with Germany will concentrate on bilateral cooperation in integrating manufacturing with physical AI and related sectors.
Additionally, President Lee plans to meet with leaders of MIKTA, a group of five middle-power countries led by South Korea (South Korea, Mexico, Indonesia, Turkey, Australia), during his stay in South Africa.
Established in 2013, MIKTA serves as a cooperation platform for middle-power countries within the G20, emphasizing their role as mediators on global issues such as development, climate, and security.
jsjeong@yna.co.kr
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