SEOUL, June 18 - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains after a lengthy leaders' dinner that he says yielded meaningful movement on the question of peace on the Korean peninsula and on South Korea-U.S. relations.
Invited to the summit as a partner, Lee recounted that he and U.S. President Donald Trump engaged in an extended, in-depth exchange. "We had an in-depth conversation for about 90 minutes about peace on the Korean peninsula and South Korea-U.S. relations, and made significant progress," Lee wrote on X.
The following day, Trump presented Lee with the pen he had been using to sign documents at the summit. Lee framed that gesture as mirroring a moment from their first summit together, when Trump had accepted a pen Lee used.
Lee also described a lighter, personal element to their interaction. He said that during dinner Trump mentioned playing golf with him and first lady Kim Hea Kyung. "I thought it was just a passing remark, but it seems I should prepare," Lee said, noting that Trump raised the invitation twice.
Lee offered further detail on the exchange: "He said he would play golf with my wife and me, and my wife even sealed the promise by hooking fingers," he said. "Then, after today’s luncheon, he again said we should definitely play golf together."
At an earlier moment during summit photography, Lee asked Trump to take the lead in seeking a peaceful resolution to tensions with neighbouring North Korea, according to the presidential Blue House.
Lee's office added that the leaders discussed areas of mutual benefit, highlighting shipbuilding as an example of cooperation, and that they agreed on the importance of coordination among South Korea, the United States and Japan.
The Blue House noted that Seoul and Washington remain close security allies, while also acknowledging that the relationship has seen strains in recent years over issues including U.S. tariffs and the sharing of defence costs. Lee's office said Trump described Lee as a "strong leader."
Context and takeaways
- The core of the bilateral engagement at the summit was a lengthy discussion focused on peace on the Korean peninsula and the broader U.S.-South Korea relationship.
- Symbolic gestures - the exchange of a pen and a personal pledge to play golf - accompanied the political dialogue between the two leaders.
- Economic cooperation, exemplified by mention of shipbuilding, and trilateral coordination with Japan were also part of the leaders' shared agenda.
This account is based on statements released by the South Korean presidential Blue House and remarks Lee published on X.